Helping the homeless: Belvedere Sleep-Out 2018
The 35th Annual Belvedere College Sleep-Out will take place on 22-24 December 2018 on Dublin’s O’Connell Street and College Green. Some of the students involved met with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications. They spoke about the experience of doing the Sleep-Out last year. “I never realised how hard it could be to sleep on the ground.”
They also talked about the homelessness crisis and the work that some Belvedere students do, meeting with people on the streets, offering them food and a chat. Harry Hamlet McGuire says that when they do go on the streets they keep in mind the words of Brother Eamonn Davis SJ: “He tells us that when we go down to meet the homeless that we don’t stand over people… We’re sitting down and kneeling next to them and we’re having a conversation with them… and we’re getting to know them”.
According to Matt Grogan: “I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself… I’m fortunate enough that I have a roof over my head every night and there’s food on my table every morning, which I’m incredibly grateful for. And through the school I’m aware that there are people who aren’t as fortunate as myself… and I feel obligated to give back”. Kevin Owens who is taking part in the Sleep-Out for the second year in a row also spoke to Pat Coyle.
Last year’s Sleep-Out raised just under 200,000 euro. Cormac Yalloway is really hopeful that they can get well over that amount this year. Whatever money they raise will be divided between the Peter McVerry Trust, Focus Ireland and Home Again.
Donate online here. Follow them on Facebook (Belvedere College S.J. Annual Sleep-Out & Fast), Twitter (@belvosleepout) and Instagram (sleepoutdublin). And look for details of their Sleep-Out Selfie Campaign.
