16.11.2016
Diocesan Housing Appeal – Fundraising Campaign Gets Underway
Fundraising for Dublin & Glendalough’s Diocesan Refugee Housing Appeal is already underway. The appeal, which plans to raise €300,000 over three years to support a new housing project by the Irish Refugee Council with the Association of Missionaries and Religious in Ireland, was launched last month. Parishes and organisations throughout the dioceses are already coming up with ways to get involved and become part of the solution to the accommodation crisis.
In November a group of 22 people from St John’s G4J Sunday Club in Coolock , participated Come&C Camino de Glendalough. They used the event as a fundraiser by way of a sponsored walk in aid of the housing appeal.
Those organising events are asked to email photographs and some information afterwards to the diocesan communications officer – dco@dublin.anglican.org.
Archbishop Michael Jackson has written to all parishes and schools in the dioceses asking them to be part of the solution to the housing crisis. He points out that by providing accommodation for refugees and those emerging from the direct provision system, pressure will be eased on the already strained organisations trying to tackle Ireland’s homelessness crisis.
“In the face of the personal impoverishment of enforced emigration, we who are significantly better off can frequently find that we feel powerless in a world picture that is beyond our grasp. It is in response to this need that a group within the Diocesan Councils [comprising Canon Horace McKinley, the Revd Olive Donohoe and Dr Sharee Basdeo Kelly] has come up with a project partnership on behalf of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough,” he said.
The Archbishop added: “I wish to emphasise that the provision of all this very sizeable new accommodation will have the very positive benefit of not adding even more to the demands of our already existing and esteemed accommodation/homeless Agencies and public services here”.
The IRC is Ireland’s only national non–Governmental organisation specialising in working with refugees and people in the asylum process. In collaboration with the Association of Missionaries and Religious in Ireland, AMRI (formerly CORI and IMU), the IRC is in the process of acquiring several properties, both in Dublin and nationwide, that are being donated by the various AMRI congregations. These properties will all require very extensive renovation and modernisation and this is where the money raised by the people of Dublin and Glendalough will be utilised. It is hoped that the initial work on some of these properties will commence in June 2017.
To contribute to the appeal monies can be forwarded by cheque to: the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, Church House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6 (marked Housing Appeal). Donations can also be lodged directly to: DIOCESAN FUNDS OF DUBLIN AND GLENDALOUGH, Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin 2, BIC: BOFIIE2D, IBAN: IE50 BOFI 9000 1769 3548 78, Reference: Housing appeal. Donations may attract a tax rebate.
Photo captions:
Top – The group of people from St John’s Church, Coolock, who raised funds for the Diocesan Housing Appeal on the Camino de Glendalough.
Bottom – Dr Sharee Basdeo Kelly and the Revd Olive Donohoe are part of the group coordinating the Diocesan Housing Appeal.