27 November, 2019

CIT SU are very excited to announce that the CIT Rag 2020 fundraising events will kick-start with the annual CIT Christmas Jumper Day next Tuesday 3rd December. This year’s Rag Week will focus on homelessness and will support a number of charities who do amazing work in this field.  The main beneficiary will be Edel House. €1,000 each has been pledged to two other worthy organisations, Cork Penny Dinners and Cork Stand Together.  

So what do I do? …wear your Christmas Jumper or T-Shirt or even a Christmas Hat and drop your donation into one of the collection boxes which will be distributed throughout the Institute. 

About the charities:

Edel House

Edel House is perhaps the best known of Good Shepherd Cork’s projects. Providing emergency accommodation for homeless woman and children. In addition to providing emergency shelter, their staff work with woman, empowering them to return to independent living as soon as possible.

Edel House is the only homeless shelter in Cork that can admit and care for children. The family section can accommodate 10 families.

We have the capacity for 18 single women. The shelter is full every night with an occupancy rate of over 100% since 2013. In 2018 they supported 203 woman and children out of homelessness.

However, the housing crisis and demand for our service meant that in 2018 we turned away 232 woman and 230 children who were simply unable to accommodate.Many of the woman and children we cannot accommodate have to stay in very unsatisfactory situations, or end up isolated, living in B&B or hotels. In response to this Good Shepherd Cork now employ a B&B Outreach team, based at Edel House, who engage directly with these women and their families.

They have recently begun work to extend and refurbish Edel House in order to improve accommodation for woman and children who are homeless and Rag funding will be donated toward this refurbishment.

 

Penney Dinners

Cork Penny Dinners is one of Cork's oldest caring charitable organisations. Currently serving up to 2000 freshly made meals per week are being served at their premises compared to approx. 150 or less per week prior to the recession. Their aims are simple - to help all who struggle and those in need. Cork Penny Dinners provide a hot nourishing meal of soup, main course, dessert and tea/coffee daily.  In addition sandwiches, biscuits, fruit and juice are also available to take away as an evening meal.Donations of warm clothes and bedding such as sleeping bags and duvets are also provided to people in need. There is always an open door and a warm welcome. Cork Penny Dinners are open 7 days a week all year round including Christmas Day.

 

Cork Stand Together

Cork Stand Together, is a group of people that have come together with an aim to help Corks homeless. The group was set up by a number of CIT Social Care Student and they have gone above and beyond to support homeless people by providing food and clothes and by treating homeless people with respect and dignity. They offer a listening ear and much needed conversation. Each Wednesday they give out hot drinks, sandwiches, hot food (such as stew, and curry) and pizza provided by Apache Pizza. They also give out blankets, toiletries and clothes. They are funded through generous donations and fundraisers.