COPE Galway, a local charity providing social services in the city and county, has launched the annual COPE Galway Sleep Out where 25 of Galway’s business and community leaders will spend 12 hours on the streets of Galway to raise funds and awareness for local homelessness services.
Now in its fourth year, the high profile event has become a key fundraiser for COPE Galway’s homelessness services, particularly with the increase in families presenting to their services in the past few years.
“We’ve seen a sharp rise in the number of families presenting to our homelessness services, particularly in the last number of months”, said Ena Norris, Manager of the COPE Galway Day Centre.
“In fact over a period of nine days in September of this year we had 18 new families contact our Day Centre who were either experiencing homelessness or in danger of homelessness”. The funds raised by the event will go towards providing support, food and shelter for these families and more and will allow COPE Galway to better tackle the problem.
Since its inception four years ago by COPE Galway board member and local business leader Hannah Kiely, the event has seen over 40 local business and community leaders take part and raise over €100,000 towards homelessness.
“The level of support and generosity from the local business community has been crucial to making this event the success it is today. We have a very dedicated group of people who have helped drive the event over the past few years and continue to be the driving force”, said David Muldoon, Fundraising Manager with COPE Galway.
“Local people will benefit from their generosity in ways that are both many and profound. For many it will provide a stepping stone up and out of homelessness and a chance to rebuild their lives. On behalf of COPE Galway I would like to sincerely thank all our past and present participants and our supporters of the Sleep Out”.
This year’s participants include; Ronan Kavanagh, Consultant Rheumatologist - Galway Clinic, Martin Healy, Owner/Senior Negotiator - RE/MAX Property Experts, Joe O’Donovan, Chief Executive Officer – Galway Clinic, Hannah Kiely, Chief Executive Officer - HC Financial Advisers Limited, Paddy Medley, Managing Director Hewlett Packard Enterprise Galway Ltd, Fr Martin Whelan, Diocesan Secretary - Galway Diocese, Patrick McCabe, Architect Director - Patrick McCabe Architects, Brian Carey, Branch Manager, Bank of Ireland Eyre Square, Dr Deirdre Squires, JP Gilmartin, Partner - Ronan Daly Jermyn, Cormac McDonncha, Plant Manager - Thermo King, Brendan McGrath, City Manager - Galway City Council, John Royliston, Director - Mocks.ie, Gerry Halloran, Managing Director – Motorpark, John Sweeney, Sweeney Oil, Alan Murphy, Director Of Process Development Europe - Boston Scientific, Martina Kelly, Lecturer – NUIG, Patrick Lonergan, Manager - O’Connells Bar, Sean Cahill, CEO - Delta Security Group, Declan Dooley, Managing Director - Galway Independent, Cian McNamara, Managing Director – Vulcan Solutions COPE Galway still has a few places remaining on the Sleep Out.
If you are a business leader or would like to nominate your boss you can contact the fundraising team on 091 778750 or email [email protected].
