Chai Brady
The number of homeless people availing of Focus Ireland’s Advice and Info service in Dublin has tripled in the first two months of this year compared to 2017, with one service user saying it has given him hope.
In January and February 2018 the service supported 266 people compared to 86 in the same timeframe last year.
The charity’s Coffee Shop, situated in the same location in Temple Bar, provides meals for homeless adults, families and children, as well as those at risk of losing their homes.
Focus Ireland have launched a video of the work done in their Coffee Shop in conjunction with their Easter Campaign which features amateur photographer Alex, McGrath who was previously homeless.
“When I came into the coffee shop on Eustace Street, I thought I was going to be homeless for the rest of my life,” Alex says in the video, “the difference from when I walked in to when I walked out, was a person who came in with no hope and came out with hope.”
“Focus Ireland helped over 700 families who were homeless to secure a home last year in partnership with the State. Our services worked to help over 14,000 people who were homeless or at risk of losing their homes,” said Advocacy Manager Roughan MacNamara.