Focus Ireland ambassador Celia Holman Lee asks you to support Shine A Light 2017 in the fight against homelessness

Celia Holman Lee with the ilovelimerick crew shooting promo videos for Focus Ireland’s Shine a Light 2017. Picture: Michael O’Sullivan.

Celia Holman Lee asks you to support Focus Irelands Shine A Light 2017

On Friday, 13 October communities and groups across Ireland will bed down in their sleeping bags for one night in solidarity with individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in every town and city in Ireland. Focus Ireland ambassador Celia Holman Lee is asking you to support Shine A Light 2017.

Next year, 2018 will mark twenty years of Focus Ireland service provision in Limerick City and County, and now more than ever Celia is urging local people to get behind the efforts.

Focus Ireland Ambassador Celia Holman Lee said, “Propose to Shine a Light in your community and organise a sleep out in the park, community hall, garden, carpark or street space. You and your community can be a part of something amazing and raise vital funds and awareness to help Focus Ireland prevent homelessness, to support people on the brink of homelessness and to make a real and lasting difference to those individuals, families, and children currently living in emergency accommodation. Your support will have an impact and change a life.”

Shockingly 1 in 3 now experiencing homelessness is a child and the situation is getting worse all the time. There are now over 2500 children living in emergency accommodation in Ireland. Homelessness is a frightening and shocking experience for anyone, and for a child, even a short period of being out of home can have a long-term and far-reaching impact on their life.

When many of us think of homelessness we think of people we see sleeping rough in doorways and on the streets. This is only part of a much greater issue. There are families, children, individuals and young people living in terribly unsuitable, insecure and temporary accommodation all over Ireland. But your community can make a difference. Will you give one night to change a lifetime?

Focus Ireland Ambassador Celia Holman Lee with Rebecca Reynolds of Focus Ireland. Picture: Michael O’Sullivan.

Celia added, “It breaks my heart to see that the number of homeless children has continued to rise and to be given an opportunity to shine a light on this crisis is something that I feel very passionate about. I am a mother and a grandmother and my family means more to me than anything else in the world. We have to protect these families and ensure that all children in this country feel safe and secure.”

Your community group and friends and neighbours can be a part of something amazing! Focus Ireland is working to bring about real and lasting change for the people who need our help. They are committed to preventing homelessness and supporting people into secure homes. Your support of Shine a Light 2017 will allow them to reach people on the brink of homelessness and make a real and lasting difference to those individuals, families, and children currently living in emergency accommodation. Your support will have an impact and will change lives.

Shine a Light 2017 is a fully supported event. Focus Ireland will work with you to: to set up a bespoke fundraising page, provide you with a fundraising and event pack to help you with the logistics of the night itself, provide digital banners, an e-tag, social media content and other promotional material so you can spread the word of your involvement and gather support far and wide. All you need to do now is to register your interest by e-mailing events@focusireland.ie.

Take part in Shine a Light 2017 and stand in solidarity with families and individuals experiencing homelessness and raise vital funds so that Focus Ireland can help them find and keep a safe and secure home this coming winter.

To find out more about the Shine A Light 2017 campaign click here

To read more of our stories on Focus Ireland click here

To find out more about Celia Holman Lee and her business click here