ONE FAMILY IS becoming homeless every day in Dublin, Focus Ireland has said.
Lisa Nicole Dunne, Head of Fundraising at the charity, said that about 30 families a month are becoming homeless in the capital.
Dunne said this represents a “stark increase” in the last 18 months.
By the end of 2012, eight families a month were becoming homeless. This figure rose to 16 by the end of 2013 and jumped to 42 in January of this year.
Dunne added that there were similar trends happening nationally.
There was a 25% increase in demand for Focus Ireland’s services last year.
Today it was announced that the charity’s Christmas campaign – ‘Because a home is too much to lose’ – raised almost €1.1 million to help people who are at risk of becoming homeless.
The initiative recently won ‘Best National Fundraising Campaign’ at he the Irish Fundraising Awards.
Altogether, the charity raised €5.48 million in 2013, slightly down from the €5.55 million raised the previous year.
“We can’t rest on our laurels, we really need public support … It’s great to know that people are responding but we need them to keep giving,” Dunne said.
The Christmas campaign targeted both public and corporate funding.
Alluding to the controversies at the Central Remedial Clinic and the Rehab Group, Acting CEO of Fundraising Ireland, Loretta Dignam, said that the past year has been “the toughest year ever for charities and fundraisers because of the actions of a very small number of organisations”.
Fundraising Ireland’s research shows that nearly 400,000 fewer people said they gave to charities over the crucial Christmas period last year.
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