Penny Dinners and Eating Out
In Dublin – The Homeless Way
Sunday night finds him at College Green with his parents Cristina and
Constantin, where Feed Our Homeless is serving chicken curry and rice, sausages
and mash potato, as well as soup, tea, coffee, biscuits and bottled water to
anyone who needs it.
Originally from Romania and living in (Ireland LINK) for two years, the family shares a house with 10 other people, paying €900 a
month for one room. Constantin works as a kitchen porter, earning about €1,800
a month. “For to eat we come here sometimes to save some money. We
like Ireland. It is good for having a job, but it is expensive to live,” says
Cristina. “It is not so good if you don’t have much money.”
Another family, including five children aged between two
months and 17 years, are here with their mother. Living in homeless
accommodation on nearby Gardiner Street, they don’t want to be named. They have no cooking facilities, says the 17-year-old
girl, adding that the food here is “the best”. They eat quickly as they need to
get back to the hotel “to get ready for school in the morning”. I have a roof
over my head. I go to Mass every morning and I’m alive
Also here are several older people, including one very
frail looking woman aged 80. Dressed in a beige coat, woollen trousers and
boots, she is crouched over as she stands waiting for the volunteers to begin
serving. She does not want to talk to a journalist, saying only that she is
from “the south side”.
 |
| Dan Octivian (32), originally from Romania, with a sleeping bag over his shoulders, after receiving food provided by the Feed Our Homeless charity at College Green in Dublin. Screen Grab Photo: |
Angela (74) does not want to give her surname. She is
from Co Meath, and stresses she is “not homeless” and does not come regularly
for food. Asked if money is tight, she says: “Well this is it. It’s hard
managing, and the staff here are lovely.”
John Nugent (75), originally from Doonbeg,
Co Clare, is renting a “small flat” in Rathmines.
“I suppose I’m here because I’m living beyond my means...I get out every day. I
have a roof over my head. I go to Mass every morning and I’m alive.”
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Voluntary
projects
Feed Our Homeless, founded in 2016 by addiction
counsellor Tony
Walsh, is part of a proliferation of voluntary projects
providing food to some of the poorest people in the city centre and throughout
suburbs like Ballyfermot,
Coolock,
Clondalkin
and Tallaght.
 |
| An
elderly woman watches as the Feed Our Homeless charity provides help at College
Green in Dublin. A SCREEN GRAB PHOTO: |
It runs a street stall three nights a week between 7.30pm
and 10pm, and a rough-sleeper outreach seven nights a week. The numbers are going up and up all the time. It’s
phenomenal. Things are not getting better. They are getting worse. Recently on a Sunday the stall for the first time ran out
of food some 90 minutes after opening.
The organization is one of at least a dozen entirely
voluntary groups that have emerged in Dublin in recent years in response to the
homelessness crisis, providing free food in the city centre and suburbs.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has voiced concern
the groups could be diverting homeless people away from statutory services. But
Mister Walsh says the need is clear.
“The numbers are going up and up all the time. It’s
phenomenal. Things are not getting better. They are getting worse.”
Most of those using the free-food stall on the Sunday
evening appear to be aged between 30 and 55. Some are in good form, chatting
with volunteers.
Some eat quietly and leave, including one Asian woman in
her 40s who walks some way from the stall to eat away from the melee.
A woman in her 30s from Finglas
says he has been homeless since just after Christmas following rows with her
parents. “It all just went belly-up,” she says. She is staying with a friend
“for now”. I had everything. I was working on the buildings. I have
tried to get work. It doesn’t come through as soon as they see you’re homeless
Several are sleeping rough, explaining they prefer to be a rough-sleepers than to go to a hostel due to drug-taking and thefts in the hostels. A number
say they would use the hostels if they had their own room, but most rooms are
multiple occupancy.
Declan (55), who does not want to give his surname, shows a picture of
his “campsite up the mountains” – a tent and cooking stove in a field. He gets
a bus into the city daily. “The hostels are totally dysfunctional,” he says.
Distressed
Some are clearly distressed. Early in the evening an
argument breaks out when a man takes a chocolate bar without queueing. He gets
agitated, yelling, “it’s just one bar”.
Mister Walsh takes him aside, explaining he is welcome
but has to queue. He breaks down crying. He has been sleeping in the Phoenix Park
since January last year and has “just had enough”. Aged 50 and from Co Offaly, he was evicted from his flat
two years ago because it was “full of damp” and the landlady was not allowed
let it anymore.
“I’m homeless since. I had everything. I was working on
the buildings. I have tried to get work. It doesn’t come through as soon as
they see you’re homeless.
“A way out of this? A place. Give me a place. A place to
stay and I’ll work. I’ll pay my rent. I’ll do anything. People don’t realize.”
Thousands queue for food parcels in Dublin city centre
22/12/2016 · Number of people receiving food from Capuchin Centre will ‘probably go over 3,000’. I’ll share mine with him,” he smiles. Danny, who doesn’t want to give his surname, is one of more than 3,000 people queueing for Christmas food parcels at the Capuchin Centre in Dublin on Thursday. The queue, which includes elderly people and young children,...
Little Flower Penny Dinners – Charity No. 6179
Little Flower Penny Dinners has been offering its services to those in need since its foundation in 1912. Our committed team of staff and volunteers offer a warm friendly welcome to all our clients. Our service is funded by your donations and we ensure that all donations are …About Us – Little Flower Penny Dinners
The Little Flower Penny Dinners has been in existence for over a century providing assistance and care to the needy of the Liberties Area of Dublin and its surrounds. The Little Flower Penny Dinners was named in honour of St Therese of Lisieux, a Carmelite Nun who inspired great devotion globally following her death at the age of 24 in 1897.new about - Penny Dinners Cork
Storymap - 100 Years of Penny Dinners - About Tony Corcoran
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