Chai Brady
An Irish homelessness charity has welcomed an initiative that offers homeless people a fixed postal address at their local post office.
An Post says it is Europe’s first free personal address and mail collection service for people living in temporary accommodation or are homeless.
Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) Homeless Service Coordinator, Fiona McDonnell said: “We are delighted that An Post are seeking to meet the needs of a marginalised group in such a practical way.
“With over 10,000 people now trapped in homelessness, we all need to remember the traumatic impact this crisis is having on individuals and families.”
An Post’s Address Point service is similar to a Post Office Box service but is free of charge. About 200 participating post offices are much more accessible than the PO Box network.
Ms McDonnell said that for MQI’s clients, having a postal address can be a barrier to accessing employment, social welfare entitlements, and stable accommodation.
“Ultimately, it can deny people the chance to move beyond homelessness. It is Merchants Quay’s hope that Address Point will help to combat these issues and help rebuild the lives that homelessness has destroyed,” she said.
Charity and outreach workers will assist individuals to register via an App, they are asked to provide their full name and then choose a preferred post office.
The mail can be held for a maximum of 20 days and the items must not exceed 100 grams. The person needs to produce ID at the chosen Post Office to receive their mail.
Government housing figures for February of this year revealed that there are now more than 10,000 people living in emergency accommodation.
“Every year, Merchants Quay supports thousands of people sleeping rough or living in homeless accommodation. This initiative by An Post will help every single one of those people,” Ms McDonnell added.