This Christmas, please help save a child from the trauma of homelessness.
On the night that little Grace was born, her mother, Martina, held her in her arms and cried.
But they weren’t tears of joy. Martina was terrified.
“All I could do was look at her and promise her that we would take her home someday. I just had no idea when that would be.”
You see Martina and her family were forced out of their home 3 months before Grace was born. Grace is one of the many children who are now being born into homelessness.
This Christmas, there will be over 3,200 children in homelessness in Ireland.
Every day, we ask ourselves the same question – How many more children must suffer?
Please will you help protect vulnerable children like Grace by making an emergency gift of €40 to this special Christmas Appeal?
Martina’s oldest daughter, Ava, is just 12 years old and has already gone through so much trauma in her young life. This is not the first time they have been made homeless.
“Ava was just 8 when we were homeless before. She lost a lot of weight. She became really withdrawn. Even after we found a house it took her ages to settle. I think she was terrified we would have to move again.” – Martina
And then, earlier this year, Ava’s nightmare came true when Martina and her family became homeless again when their landlord told them he was selling. But by that time, Martina was heavily pregnant with Grace.
Late one night Martina was rushed to the hospital from the emergency accommodation where her family currently lives. Her gorgeous baby Grace was born two hours later.
Two days later Martina brought Grace back to the family hub.
“The team from Focus Ireland gave us a great welcome. They had even got us everything we needed like nappies and a buggy. They were fantastic. But when I brought Grace up to that room and closed the door…it was heart-breaking. All I could think was ‘Is this what her life is going to be? Is this where she’s going to grow up?” – Martina
It is fundamentally wrong that so many children are being forced to live through this nightmare.
Like every child in homelessness, Ava has no idea how to process the stress and trauma that she is going through.
Please will you make a special donation of €40 to help protect children like Ava from the daily trauma and suffering they are living through?
And while Martina cares for her family, our Focus Ireland team are also working around the clock helping her and her partner with housing applications and searching for new properties in a constant drive to find them a new and secure home.
Because the only thing that will end homelessness is a safe and secure home. But this is the incredible thing that I want to share with you today.
Just a few weeks ago, our team were able to help Martina and her family secure a new home. Once the property has been renovated, they will be able to move in. And what’s really important is that when they do move in, they will have a long-term lease. So, they will no longer have to go to bed at night wondering if somebody is going to call to say that they have to leave. That is the most precious gift of all.
Yet, this Christmas there will still be over 3,220 children homeless in Ireland. The emergency accommodations cannot even cope with the rising number of families in need.
The most powerful tool we have against homelessness is the love and kindness of people like you.
We are in the middle of a childhood homelessness crisis.
But a special Christmas gift from you today of €40 will help support a family in need and help save a child from homelessness this Christmas. Please give whatever you can to help. Thank you.
*We have changed the names and any personal details because to protect Martina and her family.