Irish furniture store to fit-out 20 homes for homeless families

Irish furniture and appliance store, Harvey Norman, are fundraising to fit-out 20 homes for homeless families across the country.

The store and homeless charity the Peter McVerry Trust are teaming up to give fitted-out homes to families in Ireland in need of them most. Their Making Homes campaign has a goal of €170,000 which will go towards fitting out the properties. Today, Harvey Norman and Dublin based arts collective Subset unveiled their mural on Dublin's Fleet Street. The art is addressing the homeless crisis and the climbing numbers of people still without a home. Harvey Norman has launched a Making Homes collection of 800 items that includes the fundamental things that make a house a home - many of which we may take for granted.  It includes a dining table, a fridge to showcase kid’s drawings, and bedding to create a safe and warm place to sleep. For every item bought from this collection, a minimum of €5 will be donated to the Peter McVerry Trust. The store will also be matching all €1 donations made in-store or online. The project is aiming to raise awareness for the ever-growing number of families currently homeless in Ireland.

Peter McVerry Trust currently estimates that there are 8,587 men, women and children in Ireland living in emergency accommodation.

45 percent of these aged 24 years or younger, whilst in Spring 2017, 161 people were recorded as sleeping rough in Dublin - the highest figure since records began.

CEO of Peter McVerry Trust Pat Doyle said: “This support from Harvey Norman’s staff and customers is vital to help Peter McVerry Trust providing homes for the most vulnerable." 

Customers can donate to the campaign in-store, online, by purchasing an item from the Making Homes collection, or by buying a badge at the Fleet Street mural from February 8 - 20.