The national housing charity Threshold has appealed for urgent donations in response to the latest government statistics which show a further rise in the rate of family homelessness in Ireland.
The appeal comes as a direct response to the worsening homelessness epidemic. Figures released by the Department of Housing yesterday show a further increase in family homelessness, with 1,756 families now homeless including 3,873 children.
Announcing the appeal, CEO of Threshold, John-Mark McCafferty said:
“Our frontline services are under huge pressure, trying to keep families in their homes this winter. We are dealing with families and individuals around the country every day who are struggling to keep their tenancies. They are challenging invalid notices of termination or rent reviews; taking discrimination cases to the Workplace Relations Commission; and challenging illegal evictions and represent tenants at the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
“This works. It keeps thousands of families in their homes. But we urgently need more money to fund homelessness prevention nationwide and we are appealing to the public to support us to prevent this crisis from worsening in the coming months.”
Mr McCafferty noted that the Minister stated today that 700 families left emergency accommodation this year. “However these 700 families and the other thousands should not have had to go through homelessness in the first instance. Threshold know the power of prevention having stopped 5,161 (or 7,111 adults and 4,451) children from entering homeless last year through our services.
The theme of the Threshold fundraising campaign is the need to “help keep the wolf from the door” by providing the service required to keep families in their homes. The charity is running an online advertising campaign which shows a frightening pack of three wolves, representing homelessness, closing in on a small family at risk of homelessness.
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