Much-needed funds
New Law Society President Michele O’Boyle, in her first official function, said that close to 1400 people, ran, walked or cycled in four separate locations this year, to raise much-needed funds for the Peter McVerry Trust and the Hope Foundation.
“The profession’s engagement with these events puts the legal profession in the unique position of being able to proudly say that in over 21 years, it has raised a staggering €4.3 million to help combat homelessness.
“This is something we can all be very proud of,” she said.
Though it gets more difficult every year to reach the ambitious target of €300,000, legal firms continue to rise to the challenge and host and organise events, and encourage staff to participate, to raise the much-needed sponsorship.
Contributions from firms
Michele O’Boyle also acknowledged the firms’ own financial contributions.
“On behalf of the profession, I would like to thank you most sincerely for doing so,” she said, expressing the hope that the Calcutta Run would remain in CSR budgets for the year ahead.
The Law Society President also thanked long-standing and loyal sponsors of the Calcutta Run, such as:
- DX Ireland,
- PricewaterhouseCoopers,
- Kefron Filestores,
- Behan & Associates,
- Gwen Malone Stenography Services,
- Pearl Group,
- The Panel,
- Iconic Healthclubs,
- KL Discovery,
- Nature Valley.
Cillian MacDomhnaill of the Law Society was also thanked for his drive and inspiration in pushing the event forward each year.
Charlotte Nagle of the Hope Foundation described how Calcutta Run funds had this year provided safe homes for 36 girls.
Dire situations
“We are dealing with dire situations, and we don’t take your help for granted, but it is very hard to break a promise to a child,” Charlotte said, expressing the hope that the legal profession would continue its support of the work in Calcutta.
A&L Goodbody was thanked for going “way beyond the call of duty” in its efforts for the Calcutta Run, and for giving endlessly of its time and energy.
ALG partner Eoin MacNeill told Gazette.ie that it was good to see evidence of the work of the Calcutta Run funds in action.
“I am delighted we reached this year’s target of €300,000, and I hope we can exceed it again next year,” he said.
Pat Doyle of the Peter McVerry Trust pointed out that nobody wants a homeless shelter next to them.
He said the Trust does not take the Calcutta Run funding for granted and is delighted to be associated with the Calcutta Run.
External partnership
“This is our longest external partnership. I wish I could say that our need [for funds] was coming to an end but the need is as much as ever,” he said.
He said over 1600 people were in the Trust’s services over the last year, mainly in Dublin and Kildare, though units will open shortly in both Youghal and Fermoy in Co Cork.
A new family hub will also open shortly in Prosperous in Co Kildare.
Front door
He said that those who are homeless yearn for their own front door and the Trust will open another 80 beds year-round beds for the homeless before Christmas.
“You’ll probably hear about it in the next week or two,” he said, “because some of the neighbours are not happy”.
He said the Peter McVerry Trust is constantly asked why it doesn’t consult more before opening shelters.
“We have to balance the needs of the community, of our politicians and our councillors, with the needy out there, and we need these beds before Christmas,” he said.
The trust will shortly open eight family units in Garville Road in Rathgar and is also planning facilities in Blackrock and Glenageary, all in Dublin.
Complex needs
One in every hundred homeless people have needs so complex that they will never be able to manage living on their own. Eight units in Ravenswood in Finglas were built for those with high-support needs, which the Calcutta Runs funds.
The residents include a paraplegic homeless girl with chronic mental illness.
“She now has a key to her door and is out of homelessness, along with a blind homeless lad,” he said.
“We are delighted with this support from the legal profession,” he said.
Legacy
“Your money will have a lasting legacy,” he said, “and thank you for your continuing support. We don’t take this support lightly”.
Peter McVerry Trust statistics show that 10,300 people in Ireland are homeless and 3,000 of those are children.
Some of the projects that have been partially funded by monies raised by Calcutta Run are:
- 13 new social housing projects in Castlecourt,
- eight social housing projects in Rathgar,
- a greenfield development in Ravenswood, Finglas,
- new social housing projects in Dublin 8 will also be supported by Calcutta Run
Care-leavers
Peter McVerry Trust is a key provider of social housing for people exiting homelessness and those at risk of homelessness such as care-leavers.
The focus is providing housing to single people, who are the single largest cohort in homelessness and on the broader social housing waiting list.
Calcutta Run completely funds the Bhoruka Girls Home in Kolkatta for the Hope Foundation.
With annual costs of €46,000, 26 girls are safe, provided with a home and are educated, hopefully guaranteeing them a bright future.
These girls were pulled from slums and from abject poverty living under motorways of Calcutta. Four girls already left this year to study at third level.
Ambulance
Funds raised by the legal profession also covers all annual costs of the HIVE emergency ambulance service. Many people are undocumented due to language barriers (1,000 languages are spoken in India) and can't go to Government hospitals.
Calcutta Run also contributed to Khasba Boys Home which takes care of 30 boys who had addiction issues and lived around railway stations.
Calcutta Run also paid for a floor of a new wing of the Hope Foundation Hospital where ten of the staff members originally were homed and educated by HOPE.