New facility opens for homeless services in the city
An indoor facility in the city centre opened last week to provide volunteer-led homeless support groups a space to provide their street kitchen services in a safe, sheltered, and secure space.
The premises, which is located on Kryl’s Quay, to the rear of the North Main Street Shopping Centre, was sourced by Cork City Council, who carried out internal modifications for the various groups.
It follows several weeks of preparatory work and engagement by the city council, involving gardaí and representatives from various volunteer groups.
The facility opened for use last Thursday night, and a roster has been agreed with most of the service providers to use the facility on various weeknights. The groups will prepare their food off-site and bring it to the facility ready to serve.
The facility can accommodate up to 70 people. It consists of a secure back-office for logistics and deliveries, a food service area, and a large dining hall area with several picnic-style benches. It also has multiple phone charging points for service users.
There will be security staff on-site during operating hours, and the facility is monitored by a CCTV system.
Cork City Council’s Assistant Chief Executive Brian Geaney said the space was a sign that the council is anxious to support the volunteer-led groups and their service users.
“This facility will allow the groups to provide their services in a safe and secure indoor space in the city centre, ensuring the dignity of their service users and ensuring the safety of their volunteers,” he said.
Cork City councillor Kieran McCarthy said the council “respects immensely the volunteer groups providing street kitchens to the most vulnerable in our city, especially those living on the city’s streets”.
“Such volunteering is very selfless and full of care for the other who is not so fortunate,” he said.
Separately the council is also working with HSE South West and other partners to deliver a proposed Integrated Homeless Services hub in another location.
This will be a daytime one-stop-shop for all homeless services, including but not limited to healthcare services.
It will also offer a safe space for rest and recreation.
A proposal for the hub has been developed, and the city council is currently working closely with the HSE and homeless services to update that proposal, as well as agreeing a funding model.
Cllr McCarthy said a safe space day centre is something that members of the city council’s housing committee have been “lobbying hard for, for quite a while now”.
“The city council also has a daily outreach team on the city’s streets liaising with homeless individuals and trying to help them, We will be investing over €40 million through support from Government in over 17 local and regional homelessness agencies next year,” he said.
This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.