Galway Simon Community this week announced a new partnership with local financial services company Acorn Life Group, the Acorn Life Capital Development Fund. Speaking at the launch of the partnership Karen Golden, CEO Galway Simon Community said they set a goal of creating a Rolling Capital Development Fund during the period of their current strategic plan.
“Our vision was that this Fund would provide catalyst funding that would enable us to continue to develop housing for people who have experienced homelessness, while at the same time managing risks to our charity and our governance appropriately,” she said.
As and when finance from central government is secured, the Capital Development Fund will be replenished, thereby enabling further future developments.
She said Galway Simon are deeply grateful to Gerry O’Connell and all the team at Acorn Life Group for believing in what they do and supporting their vision by establishing the Acorn Capital Development Fund with an incredible donation of €750,000.
“It is hard to put into words the impact this funding will have on the people we support. The Fund will enable us to carry out more developments to meet the housing needs of some of the most marginalised people in our Community,” she added.
“Galway Simon Community is deeply committed to providing secure affordable homes for people who might otherwise be homeless. In developing our own properties, we are proactively providing housing solutions and supporting people to leave homelessness behind them.
“We are committed to addressing dereliction and vacancy in our developments. Over 200 people sleep in Galway Simon Community accommodation nightly,” Ms Golden added.
Speaking at the launch, Gerry O’Connell of Acorn Life Group said they want to support Galway Simon Community in their mission to prevent homelessness and build pathways out of homelessness for people in the West of Ireland.
“We want to make a sustainable and scalable impact that is about strengthening their work so that individuals and families facing housing insecurity can find stability, dignity, and hope for the future.”
“We are calling on other businesses or individuals to support Galway Simon’s Capital Development Fund. As it will be a Rolling Fund there will be a long-term legacy aspect to any funding companies or individuals provide.
“A donation to the Fund will essentially be a ‘gift that keeps on giving’. As the Fund will be replenished on an ongoing basis, it is envisaged that it will continue to enable development projects well into the future providing homes for generations to come,” he added.
If anyone is interested in finding out more details about supporting Galway Simon’s vision of a community where everyone has a place they call home, they can contact Galway Simon on 091 381828 or visit www.galwaysimon.ie
