The lay organisation, ‘Homeless run’ told this paper that “in recent years, the number of homeless people has been increasing. There are now more than 10000 people, more than a third of them are children.” This number is supported by ‘The Dublin Region Homeless Executive’s most recent report (April 2024), which states that “more than a third of all homeless people are children”.
With their focus on each person’s dignity, Homeless Run is launching their campaign ‘A Roof, A Future’. “Every night, these individuals face the uncertainty and hardships of sleeping on the streets. Without a safe place to rest, rebuilding their lives becomes nearly impossible. This campaign’s goal is raising funds to get them off the streets and help them stay in shelters,” said Maria Pineda, a member of the organisation.
Since January 2023, a group of young people decided to take a step forward and act by contributing our small part to building a better world. They gather every second Sunday from 12pm to 2pm at the heart of Dublin city.
The initiative’s aim “is not merely to give material things. Our focus is to accompany them, get to know the life story of each one, make them realise they are loved and important, know their names, what they like and their hopes. Affection and kindness are the most important part of our goal, and we give something as a token of our affection and interest in them,” said Maria Pineda.