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THE FOUNDER OF Pieta House, Senator Joan Freeman, has announced she is leaving the charity to focus on growing a similar service, Solace House, in New York.
Freeman founded Solace House, a suicide and self-harm charity, which serves the Irish diaspora and others in New York, in 2014 when she resigned as CEO of Pieta House.
Pieta House was the first charity founded by Freeman, with its first centre opened in Lucan, Dublin in 2006.
During her nine years as CEO, Pieta House helped over 20,000 people in its then-nine centres throughout Ireland.
Launching tomorrow, Solace House will provide a free of charge crisis intervention counselling service to those who experience suicidal ideation and who may otherwise engage in self-harm.
Freeman’s focus will be on the Irish diaspora based in New York, however, she aims to grow the service in other cities across the US.
Minister for Children Katherine Zappone is expected to attend the charity’s opening ceremony at the New York Irish Center in Queens.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Freeman said: “I am so grateful for the generosity, courage and vision of the Pieta Board who allow me to work in America to identify and meet the need for ‘helping the Irish wherever they are’.
“I also want to acknowledge everyone who gave their time in making Pieta House the incredible organisation it has become today.
Pieta House would not exist except for the courage of the people who came through our service and not survived, but thrived.
One of Freeman’s landmark projects in Pieta House was Darkness Into Light, the charity’s annual flagship fundraising and awareness event, that has grown into the country’s biggest fundraising event since its inception.
Freeman was appointed to the Seanad in May 2016 and has since campaigned for improving child mental health services. Most recently, she was appointed as chairperson of the new Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Mental Health.
Solace House’s first office will be located at the New York Irish Center in Queens.
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She has done well. Good luck to her
There a great charity but why do we have lots of different mental health charities? Would it be better if a few dozen could unite into a few different groups as it’s a bad idea of just having one of any charity. We don’t need anymore Console type scandals or anyone in any charity being paid more than the average wage or a bit above with & only expenses paid that actually return fundraising back to the charity.
The homeless charity sector and St. Vincent De Paul CEOs pay is insane and no charity should have lots of paid employees like the housing agency said there is many paid employees in homeless charities.
@Jay Lane: They all do very different things so it is great that they are separate. It’s also safer, imagine if an honest charity had been merged with Console and then that thief in charge had stolen all the money from the honest charity?
They also manage things very differently and I think that is good. Some charities have a serious ethical objection to having paid managers / leaders, others don’t.
Also, people are people. I’ve seen charities split from other charities and it is honest people splitting from honest people because of different priorities, and I think that is very healthy and good. If you are working for free you should 100% believe in what you are doing. Let’s say you worked for one charity that had a time limit on phone calls in their helpline, and you really didn’t like that, you could go work for one that has no time limit. Simple!
A woman with great integrity and vision ,,its a shame these same qualities are lacking in so many departments of our own government
I’m very sorry for your loss Darren. It is truly devastating for the family and friends of the people who feel the only way out of their pain is to end their life.
In saying that, I have to disagree with you re Pieta House – as a medical practitioner, I have referred quite a number of people to this organisation over the years and they have found it to be a wonderful support. I have seen first hand how people have found relief with this service. As for their financial integrity – a lot of focus has been put on charities such as these to be transparent re their accounts, especially since the Console controversy.
Thank you. As a nation we owe Joan a debt we can never repay, whatever she chooses I hope it brings her a little happiness. I’d like to think that if she ever needs help the nation will be there for her, but..
An inspirational woman! Wishing Joan every success with the launch of Solace House in New York
@Darren Bates: as someone who is living proof that these services work and wouldn’t be here without you’re wrong. I may not used pieta house but similar it’s people like you give out a negative message. Maybe you’re negative as your depressed and covering up for it and afraid to address the problem or else you’re just immature.
Is she staying on as a Senator?
A lady of true integrity, I wish Joan nothing but the very best life can bring. We would be honoured to have Joan as our president one day.
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