Dublin Simon says it helped over 3,000 people avoid homelessness last year

The Dublin Simon Community has said that more than 3,000 adults and children were saved from homelessness last year as a result of accommodation it provided.

The homeless charity's annual report, published today, shows it delivered housing and support services to 6,285 people in Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Meath, a 22 per cent increase on the previous year.

This year, the charity has expanded its service to Cavan, Monaghan and Louth.

Services increased dramatically last year as the charity responded to the homelessness crisis. Some 612 adults and children were housed in the charity’s units, an increase of 89 per cent on 2016. Some 354,490 meals were provided across Simon’s residential services, an increase of 42 per cent.

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Sam McGuinness, chief executive of the charity, said that without its homelessness protection and resettlement work, 1,637 adults and 1,477 children - or 1,373 households - would need emergency accommodation. He called for additional housing to be delivered at a more accelerated rate.

“As this crisis advances, there continues to be a surge in people who desperately need help with housing,” he said.