Thank you for your messages of support and understanding in these difficult and uncertain times. They are very much appreciated.
The coronavirus crisis is going to bring huge challenges to all of us in the coming weeks and months.
We’re planning and preparing for every eventuality. Our priority is to ensure the health and welfare of people using our services, our staff and volunteers – especially those who may be at risk of a more serious illness if they contract the Covid-19 virus.
We have already reconfigured some of our services to facilitate even better hygiene, infection control and social distancing. We’re making sure everyone using our services has the information they need to protect themselves and others, information that we’re continuously promoting and re-enforcing.
We’re working closely with local public health authorities, Cork City Council and others to put measures in place to deal with any potential Covid-19 cases in our services, making sure that we can react quickly, safely and proactively.
The response to-date to these measures among people using our services and among our staff and volunteer teams has been overwhelmingly positive.
As the crisis develops, we’re adapting as needs be – and will continue to do so. We’ll do our best to keep you updated.
In the meantime, we encourage you to follow government and HSE guidelines for your own protection and those around you.
The commitment and experience of our excellent staff and volunteer teams are key to working through this crisis effectively.
So too is your continuing support – we’ll need you more than we ever have over the weeks and months ahead.
The housing crisis is pushing people into homelessness and preventing people from leaving homelessness. People are staying for longer and longer in emergency accommodation because they have no other options. Rents in Cork City increased 4.8% in the last 12 months; Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payments do not come near asking rents.
Our Emergency Shelter is located on Anderson’s Quay, in the heart of Cork city centre. The Shelter provides care, accommodation and one-to-one support for 47 people around-the-clock, every day of the year. Demand for emergency beds is high – throughout 2018 the Shelter accommodated an average of 57 people per night – the need for emergency accommodation is so great that we try to accommodate as many people as is safe to do so.
FIND OUT MORE HERE
If you know Cork, you know that we live in a caring community. And that sense of belonging, that feeling of community, was here before all of us – and will be here long after us.
Here at Cork Simon, we are blessed that our supporters have enriched our organisation – and our community – with their generous gifts.
What we’ve achieved, with the amazing support of our donors, represents our community at its very best. Read More
September 30th, 10:15 am
Will you write to the Minister for Housing and your local TDs asking that they Stop Homelessness Before it Starts?
Will you be part of our campaign to stop people being pushed into homelessness?
We need your voice - the more voices we have the better we'll be heard. Please add your voice to ours. Together, we can make change happen. We can #stophomelessness before it starts.
This #simonweek2020 Act NOW act.simon.ie/.
September 29th, 4:48 pm
They are heroes.
"I feel like a different person, to be honest".
"It's like I got my life back."
Just a flavour of the deeply personal accounts of people's experiences as they overcome challenges and celebrate achievements working to leave homelessness behind.
Part two of our A Working Life research series - The Continuing Journey, tells the stories of men and women with experience of homelessness as they return to the workplace with support from Cork Simon. Two years after the research commenced, almost three quarters of participants still at work; over three quarters of participants' life goals achieved. But housing remains a constant challenge.
Rebooting, reconnecting, returning to normality - but all at risk without a home. Read the full report launched today: www.corksimon.ie/a-working-life-part-2/
#AWorkingLife #SimonWeek2020
September 28th, 5:04 pm
Imagine... sleeping rough... then a few nights in an emergency shelter... then maybe a B&B room or tourist hostel... then back to sleeping rough.
It's an exhausting and demoralising never-ending cycle of homelessness. This is what's adding to Stuart's anxiety - wondering if he'll be able to hold on to his B&B room rather than focusing on his studies.
You can help prevent him falling back into that cycle of homelessness. #StopHomelessness before it starts.
Take action NOW: act.simon.ie/
#SimonWeek2020. Together we can make change happen.
September 27th, 9:56 am
Extraordinary. Resourceful. Selfless. Where do you stop describing our office and fundraising volunteers? The variety of what they do day in, day out is immeasurable. Every act of every volunteer - here in the office, at home, in the workplace, on the street and in the community, is an act rooted in a belief in people; a belief that every man and woman we support should have somewhere safe and affordable to live and should be part of the wider community here in Cork. And every act is big-hearted, compassionate and makes such a big difference.
All of our office and fundraising volunteers do so much to help keep our doors open - and we want to say the biggest Thank You during National Volunteer Week. We couldn't keep those doors open without you. Caroline from our fundraising team wants to get her spoke in too in this video - and why wouldn't she? Caroline sees those big hearts at work every day here in Cork - the real capital of volunteering!
Believe in People. Believe in Volunteers. #NVW2020
