The Simon Community is asking everyone to sign the Home for Good  petition to help prevent further cuts to the homeless budget this year. The campaign is part of Simon Week 2013 (30th September-6th October), now in its sixth year.

IMPACT organiser Siobhan Curran said increased homelessness and reduced budgets have pushed homeless services to breaking point. “IMPACT members in the Simon Community, Focus Ireland and right across the homeless services sector continue to make every effort to respond to the growing problem of homelessness and the increase in the numbers who are sleeping rough in Dublin city centre. The threat of more funding cuts for crucial services remains high, which is why I would urge IMPACT members from all sectors to support this campaign” she said.

Paul Magee, an IMPACT rep in Simon said: “Thousands of us are just one pay cheque, one social welfare payment, one family problem, one health diagnosis, one mortgage repayment away from becoming homeless. Cutting funding for homeless services hurts the most vulnerable in our society at a time when it’s needed more than ever.”

Keivan Jackson, an IMPACT rep in Focus Ireland, said union activists and homelessness staff were actively working to make homelessness a thing of the past. “As Ireland emerges from this recession, it is vital that we all work together to try to shape a more just and equal society for everyone,” he said.

You can sign the Home for Good petition HERE

Related:

Simon Community warns on rough sleeping increase – IMPACT website

The Simon Community says it recorded an 88% increase in the number of people sleeping rough in Dublin’s inner city. Simon Community workers are represented by IMPACT.