Call goes out to business leaders to Shine a Light

FOCUS Ireland is calling on business leaders to sleep out for one night to help raise vital funds for its services working to prevent and combat family homelessness.

The charity’s annual Shine A Light Night takes place in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin and in Cork’s historic city Gaol on October 16 as part of a wider campaign to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness.

The night is Focus Ireland’s flagship corporate event and since 2012 over one million euro has been raised with over 200 business leaders taking part in the sleep out to date.

These funds have been vital to ensure Focus Ireland services have been able to cope with a 43 per cent rise in the numbers seeking support since 2012.

In 2014 alone, Focus Ireland helped over 11,500 people compared to 8,000 in 2012 who were either homeless or at risk.

The charity is now urging more of Ireland’s top business men and women to come together and sign up for the event. Focus Ireland says they need the support of the Irish business community now more than ever. The appeal comes as the number of families becoming homeless has nearly doubled since last year and one in four of those in emergency accommodation is a child.

Currently, more than one family goes through the trauma of losing their family home every single day in Ireland. Focus Ireland lifeline services are working hard to support these families and to prevent others from losing their homes in the first place by providing advice and information. The charity is proud to say that 89 cent out of every euro received goes directly towards ending homelessness in Ireland.

This year Newstalk have been announced as the official media partner for Shine A Light Night. Editor in Chief at the station, Garrett Harte, said they were delighted to support this unique event.

“This is a real opportunity for corporate Ireland to make an impact on homelessness in Ireland,

? he said.

“We have been supporting Shine A Light Night since its inception in 2012 and we are delighted to be Focus Ireland’s Media Partner for this year’s event. We hope our listeners get behind this great initiative.

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Learn more about Shine A Light Night, past participants and how to get involved by contacting Aoife on 01 8815984 or [email protected] or visit focusireland.ie