On Friday, December 6, COPE Galway Business Leaders’ Sleep Out participants spent 12 hours on the streets of Galway City. The aim was to draw attention to the issue of homelessness in Galway, to generate an understanding of what it is to sleep out on the streets in winter and to raise essential funds to make sure the charity can continue to respond to these challenges and offer vital supports for people who find themselves affected by homelessness.
It was a very difficult but rewarding night for the team from M FitzgeRAld’s Bar who raised in excess of €2,000 for the Sleepout and well over €7,000 so far this year for the bar’s chosen charity as part of the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility. Massive congrats to all of the team on their wonderful efforts in 2024.
With homelessness intensifying across the country, the local charity has described this winter as being especially challenging in Galway. ‘The homelessness crisis is not letting up unfortunately,’ said Sinead Carey, COPE Galway’s Head of Homeless Service. ‘This is most starkly illustrated by our accommodation services being consistently full and a more than doubling of the numbers of people availing of our day centre and outreach services. We are providing approximately 50 people with food and other essential supports daily.’
Last year, funds raised helped COPE Galway’s professional teams to offer comprehensive support to 1,278 people in Galway of all ages and backgrounds.
Sharon Fitzpatrick, Head of Development at COPE Galway, commends the Galway Business Leaders who have taken on the challenge: ‘Forty-four business people from diverse sectors across Galway have put themselves forward to help COPE Galway address such a challenging and pervasive problem. I am hugely appreciative of each business leader and the support they have garnered. Without doubt, we are stronger when we work together and the COPE Galway Business Leaders’ Sleep Out is a great example of this.’
