Support Salvation Army as it helps transform lives this Christmas

On the last Friday of each month in Ireland, a grim set of statistics is released to the public, detailing the number of people who find themselves homeless.

Men, women and children, some newborns, some in the winter of their lives, but none of whom imagined they would be forced to rely on someone else to provide them with that most basic of human requirements – shelter.

Behind every statistic is a person carrying hopes, fears and the burning desire for a place to call home.

That is where Christian church and charity, Salvation Army, comes in, providing critical and immediate shelter to hundreds of people in Ireland each and every night.

From accommodation and support services to serving meals, running activities for children and offering pastoral care, its ministry seeks to bring hope, dignity and practical assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in society. But the need is immense.

Recent figures show that more than 17,800 adults and children are experiencing homelessness in Ireland, the majority living in Dublin. Over the last decade, demand for services has risen dramatically, placing unprecedented pressure on organisations working on the frontline.

Combined, the five Salvation Army centres provide around 250,000 bed nights every year, making it one of the largest providers of homeless accommodation in Ireland.

With their Lifehouses and family hubs at capacity, it also needs help, and thanks to your generosity, they can continue to provide it.

This Christmas, your gift of faith and hope can help change the lives of a family caught in the despair of homelessness. People such as Amy, Daniel and their three-year-old son Luke, who came to The Salvation Army’s family hub on Dublin’s Clonard Road last year. Despite having fallen into homelessness themselves – despite the fact that they had nothing – they did everything they could to help others who were as frightened and traumatised as they were. Because, just like you, they understood the life-changing power of kindness.

Pauline Collins, a key support worker at the hub, sees the heartache and sadness etched on the faces of families caught in the grip of homelessness, often defeated by soaring rents, a shortage of housing and a lack of affordable options.

The first time she sat down with Amy over a cup of tea, the mum-of-one asked: “How has this happened to us? What did we do wrong?”

It is a question asked by so many parents burdened by the powerlessness of not being able to live independently, the guilt of raising their children in homeless accommodation and the struggle to hold on to hope when it seems to wane.

The answer is they did nothing wrong: after renting their home for 12 years, their landlord decided to sell and they simply couldn’t afford anywhere else. With no family to turn to for help, and a three-year-old boy in their arms, they had nowhere to go.

Like every other family who walks through the doors of a homeless hub, they were frightened and traumatised. That’s why your help and support is so badly needed to cushion the cruel reality of homelessness.

Dedicated staff at Salvation Army’s family hubs work tirelessly to make the accommodation as comfortable and welcoming as possible – but it will never be home, nor should it be. Emergency accommodation is intended to be temporary, however, for many families, weeks can become months and months can become years.

Some staff refer to it as a “pressure cooker environment” which has big effects on children’s upbringing and their physical, mental and educational growth. Teenagers, especially, find living in emergency hubs during school holidays highly challenging.

One day, when Pauline asked Amy how she was coping, she broke down in tears, opening up about the financial pressures she and Daniel were under, and that they had no Christmas presents for Luke.

Staff always make sure that every child in Salvation Army’s care gets something for Christmas, and when service manager Naomi heard Amy’s story, she went out of her way to make Christmas special for the boy.

From the Christmas donations that come in from amazing people like you, she found a beautiful toy piano. That Christmas night, Santa came to visit Luke at Clonard Road and filled that small family room with warmth and happiness.

But their joy was short-lived, as shortly after Christmas, Luke had a seizure and an ambulance was called. He was later diagnosed with epilepsy, bringing a whole new world of stress into their lives.

Again, Salvation Army rallied the troops – helping arrange doctor’s appointments, putting them in touch with other support agencies, and just being there for them when they needed to talk.

They received just as much comfort and support from the other families, who sat with them, encouraged them to take breaks, and always let them know they were not alone.

And just months ago, their spirits lifted by the staff and fellow residents, Amy and Daniel received the ‘phone call they had been praying for – a home of their own.

Their Christmas will be radically different this year, but by telling their story, they want to do everything in their power to help other families still suffering the pain of homelessness.

Amid the rush, chaos and consumerism woven around the festive season, your gift to Salvation Army means there is a listening ear and an arm around the shoulders of those who remain in homeless accommodation.

Can you support a family with a kind gift of €70 that will let them know they’re not alone, and that someone cares?

This Christmas, you can give that incredible gift. The gift of faith and hope. And helping a struggling family to get back on their feet again, just in time for Christmas.

For more information on how to donate, visit salvationarmy.ie