Getting Some Blanket Coverage

Jay Bobinac Greystones TUES12DEC23

t’s something that can happen to pretty much anyone, and in Ireland, more and more people are facing homelessness.

In November, the number of homeless people in Ireland surpassed the 16,000 mark for the first time, a number that continues to rise.

It’s a crisis that the Greystones-based Tiglin has been battling for some years now, both with their rehabilitation centres here and in Ashford and Brittas Bay but also through their Lighthouse soup kitchen in Dublin.

Dallas street sign addressing street life…

Where they serve up over 400 hot meals daily.

On Friday, December 12th, from 7pm, the market marquee down at Greystones plaza will be transformed for the night into a community centre, with music, movies, treats, talks and first-hand accounts of what it’s like to live life on the streets. Performances will include St Patrick’s School hip hop and choir, Sharon Clancy, Driven Snow, Abiha, Maiú and Dance Greystones, plus a puppet show for the kids, and The Unity Gospel Choir. There will also be 70 students from St David’s Secondary School taking part in the sleepout – and you can find out why here.

It’s a chance to dispel some of the preconceptions and misconceptions around homelessness, whilst also addressing the likes of British MP Suella Braverman assertion that it’s “a lifestyle choice”, and how Dallas officials’ new solution is erecting signs advising people not to give to street charity.

You can find out more right about here, or get involved right over here.

In the meantime, Jay Bobinac – whose life has been turned around by Tiglin – charts his journey to homelessness and how he found his way back again…

We live in unprecedented times in a country with a booming economy and a GDP per capita that rivals and exceeds such powerhouses as Germany, France, Japan and the USA.

Despite this economic success, this wealthy country faces a crisis of homelessness. The latest government-issued statistics show over 16,000 people who cannot secure a place to call their own. This causes a lot of stress and worry and affects many who are on the edge of homelessness, further inflating this number.

Similar to other crises that we see through the media, it is easy to become desensitised as we view it as just a number, a distant reality. The people that represent these numbers are indeed people, with over 4,000 of them children.

December’s event, called Not At Home and organised by Tiglin, aims to give those who attend a glimpse into the life of a homeless person, especially during these cold times. There are many reasons why people become homeless; I came to Dublin in 2016 as a young person searching for work. Coming from a dysfunctional background and having no money, I lived on the streets, sleeping in parks and doorways during the bitterly called winter.

During this time, I went to many homeless services, they all deliver their services well, and I was most grateful for this, but one does get a sense of being just a number.

Tiglin Homeless café was the first place I went where I didn’t feel like a number but rather an individual. Interestingly, many of the volunteers from that time were Greystones people; this was during the time Aubrey McCarthy drove the big green bus to city centre and parked it under Cleary’s clock.

In my case, from being the service user, I started to volunteer and was given transitional housing with Tiglin. I availed of the educational opportunities and joined the community employment scheme that helped to develop my CV and experience.

It’s not just me who benefited from this organisation; currently, there are over 300 people in Tiglin’s care, many of whom would be homeless without the help from the organisation.

Tiglin at the Lighthouse has always been dependent on the generous support from our supporters. Serving over 120,000 hot meals a year, the work of the Lighthouse is more vital than ever.

On the night of December 12th, there will also be a clothes appeal where you can drop items such as clothes, backpacks, socks, underwear and toiletries, all of which will find their way to a homeless person in need.

How to take part?
1. Decide to join the Sleep Out on your own or with a group.
2. Click here.
3. Select Fundraise For Us to create your page. Groups should choose Create A Team so fundraising totals are collected together.
4. Participants are encouraged to share their fundraising pages and involve friends, family and neighbours to increase support.

Phil Thompson, CEO of Tiglin, says, “Spending one night Not At Home gives a small but powerful reminder of the struggle faced by people without a safe place to stay. Tiglin hopes the event will deepen understanding within our community and raise the funds needed to continue this work. “

Senator Aubrey McCarthy, co-founder of Tiglin, says, “Year on year we have seen an increase in homeless numbers. As a society we’ve become desensitised to the figures, but Tiglin helps to restore lives. We support people as they move from homelessness and addiction toward a new life, and it is our supporters who make this possible – we call on the same supporters, and new ones to get behind this initiative.“

The sleepout is a community event, and everyone is welcome to come along, whether for just 10 minutes or for 10 hours.

The Tiglin gang be there all evening and all night, with movies, music, stories and plenty of hot drinks.

Taking place on the night of Friday, December 12th from 7pm in that monster marquee down at the harbour, you can sign up to get involved right here. More on the mighty Tiglin here, agus here.