Focus Ireland, with the help of broadcaster Mairead Ronan, has launched an appeal for donations to help support the 1,117 families that will spend this Christmas in emergency accommodation. Becoming homeless is every family’s worst nightmare, but sadly the numbers of families without a home has been steadily rising over the past number of years. Over 2,500 children in Ireland will spend this Christmas living in emergency accommodation.

As part of its Christmas appeal, Focus Ireland will highlight the issue of the hidden homeless and to help drive awareness and encourage donations, has created an installation on South William Street Dublin. The space is designed as a typical 12x12 foot hotel room and shows what life is like for a family living in emergency accommodation. While the city will be filled with socially distanced shoppers, Christmas lights and festive window displays, this installation is a reminder that for many families Christmas won’t be spent at home, but in a cramped space used as a kitchen, bedroom and living room for all the family.

This year to date, Focus Ireland has helped over 760 families find a home including 1,633 children. The charity is working hard to support these children and relies heavily on public donations to ensure it can carry out the full extent of its work. While the charity does receive State funding it still has to raise over 40% of its annual budget through fundraising.

Mairead Ronan commented, “As a parent I can’t imagine what it must be like to try and function as a family living in emergency accommodation, especially over Christmas and in the middle of a pandemic. My heart goes out to all the children who will be waking up on Christmas morning in a hotel room so I wanted to get involved with this year’s Christmas appeal and help in whatever small way I can. This installation is a stark reminder of what the reality of homelessness and emergency accommodation is like. It is so important we support organisations like Focus Ireland that support these families and help provide them with a place to call home”.