Caren Schwannauer

Thanks to your support, my sleep out could provide:

16

hours of one-on-one support for a child with a dedicated Child Support Worker

or

18

nutritious meals in the Focus Ireland Coffee Shop

or

25

hours access to Focus Ireland’s education service PETE (Preparation for Education, Training & Employment)

Mission Statement

Focus Ireland are driven by the fundamental belief that homelessness is wrong. They work with people who need support to avoid becoming homeless and who need help to end their experience of homelessness and move into a safe and secure home. From the very beginning, their work has been rooted in deep listening to people, learning about the problems and risks they face and pointing to where the solutions lie.

I’m sleeping out against homelessness

As a business leader, I'm used to taking calculated risks and facing challenges head-on. But on October 11, I'll be stepping outside my comfort zone in a very different way: by participating in a sleep out to raise awareness and funds for the fight against homelessness. I will be joining hundreds of others in a nationwide sleep out as part of Focus Ireland’s Shine A Light, proudly supported by Bord Gáis Energy.

Homelessness is a complex issue with no easy solutions. Yet, it's a critical problem affecting communities across the country. We keep reaching record breaking figures on the number of people experiencing homelessness, which includes over 4,000 children. This is unacceptable.

While a one-night sleep out is certainly not the same, it offers a glimpse into the vulnerability and hardship faced by thousands of people in Ireland without a safe and secure home.

As a business leader, I believe in leading by example. By participating in this event, I hope to inspire others to get involved to raise funds to support vital homeless services. Please show your support by donating to my fundraising page: every contribution, big or small, gets us closer to creating a future where everyone has a safe place to call home.