October 16 is Shine A Light Night, when people across the country will sleep out overnight to raise funds to fight homelessness.
In Cork partners Focus Ireland and Bord Gáis Energy are asking business leaders to sleep out again on Cork’s historic Spike Island to help the cause, along with asking individuals to sign up and sleep out in their gardens and homes.
The number of homeless adults in Cork stands at 372, and the charity hopes to raise €1.3m this year to help them, and others across the country.
Focus head of services for the region Ger Spillane said: “Focus Ireland works tirelessly with people in Cork experiencing homelessness to help them secure their home or to ensure they leave homelessness for good. We also work extensively across the area of prevention to make sure many other families and individuals never become homeless in the first place.
“In the months ahead, the support of organisations such as Bord Gáis Energy is crucial to make a success of fundraising events like Shine A Light Night which will raise vital funds for our services.”
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BGE director of assets and trading Nico O Rourke added: “Bord Gáis Energy has never been prouder of our partnership with Focus Ireland. The team in Focus Ireland in Cork worked in very difficult circumstances to help 12 households into long-term homes in March, April, May and June, as well as to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society daily.
“We will be sleeping out on Shine A Light Night and we are asking businesses, families and individuals to join us this October in giving just one night to sleep out in your gardens, living rooms, workplace, or at an organised sleep out, in solidarity with people who face homelessness every day.”
• To register to participate in Shine A Light Night 2020 visit the Focus Ireland website here, or contact Dick White at dick.white@focusireland.ie
Photo (l-r): Eoin O' Sullivan, Cork Business Association; Aisling O' Connor, Focus Ireland; Ann O'Sullivan, Abtran; and Nico O 'Rourke, Bord Gáis Energy. (Pic: Michael O'Sullivan/OSM Photo)
