Friends Helping Friendsstruggles to break free from the red tape of government bureaucracy as it struggles to feed the homeless in Dublin.  

To say we are devastated doesn’t even cover it. Some of this post was taken from our sister soup runs page the Homeless St Café but it sums up exactly how we are feeling

Over the last 4 years me and my amazing team have been trying to feed and care for the homeless in Dublin. We have only been able to do this each week with the kind donations from many of the people reading this. We have overcome many obstacles and barriers to provide the service every Tuesday and Saturday but this latest strike may very sadly be the final nail in the coffin for Friends Helping Friends.

Without prior contact and on foot of No complaints, the HSE’s Environmental Health department met us before we could started feeding our long queue the other Tuesday. They asked me a number of questions about how we operate. They referred to us continuously as a food business or as a charity, of which we are neither. It's actually something we’ve always prided ourselves on; simply being a group of like-minded people merely wanting to share a bit of care and kindness our forgotten homeless population.

We had hoped that the Dept would treat us similarly to other cases we are aware of where only recommendations were made. However, despairingly we have subsequently received a letter to outline to us that they have chosen in the case of homeless soup runs to subject us a strict compliance issues and full enforcement action and closure if we do not comply!!

My first reaction on receiving the letter was being completely overwhelmed with emotion. It really should not be this hard to help people in need. I just can’t believe people would work harder to stop you than help you. Now, however, while it would be easier to just quit, I feel we have to advocate for those who rely on us and let our supporters know what’s happening for us, and more importantly to the homeless people themselves.

We are not averse to recommendations and welcome any support we can get. However imposing costs on us to meet regulations designed for the professional food industry is too hard. For example, asking a small group like us to have full hand washing facilities to serve cakes on the side of the street is difficult to fathom, particularly when there was a complete failure by the relevant authorities to provide any hand washing or toilet facilities for the homeless during Covid lock downs when it was identified as one of the key elements in Covid prevention. Shocking - these facilities were then provided for social drinkers once a few videos circulated.
 
Or asking a pensioner who occasionally makes sandwiches for us to attend and pay for a specialised food safety training and to register and have her kitchen inspected by the HSE is beyond what can be expected of ordinary, caring people. This alone would be the death knell for what we are trying to provide; the end of people sharing what they can with other people.

When did we become this type of nation? A nation that reprimands repeatedly for helping those in need, that tells us not to help, then puts in strict limits about how to help, and then is trying to force us out with the unfeasible costs of helping. All we ever wanted to do was show we care and pass on people’s kindness to those in need. Our service and the other soup runs are hugely valued by those who turn up each week. Getting the ‘applause of a grateful nation’ on The Late Late Show 18 months ago, and now being forced off the street with this. When did we become such a Nanny state that deters ordinary people showing kindness?

We are not the only soup run to have been visited and according to the inspectors they will be visiting them all.

Does this level of enforcement apply to every cake sale, coffee morning or other incidence of sharing food? I doubt it.

If Dublin City Council or the HSE want to provide us with a premises to operate from with hand washing facilities, a kitchen, and people offering to do all this for free, they know where we are.

I really am sickened to my core. I’m beaten. I’m heart-broken that this is where we are. What’s the point in teaching our children to share and care, when such acts are severely punished in adulthood.

To the government, HSE and Dublin City Council I say…
This is your job to do, so do it and we will happily go on with our lives
Or failing that, help us to do the job you can’t or won’t
But for the love of God, if you can't do any of the above, leave us alone to do it in peace.

To the homeless that use our service each week…
We are so sorry this is happening and we will try our very best to overcome this for you somehow.

Friends Helping Friends is a soup run in Dublin Inner City which provides food, clothes, sleeping bags etc to the homeless and those who have hit hard times.

Hindering Helpers

Friends Helping Friendsstruggles to break free from the red tape of government bureaucracy as it struggles to feed the homeless in Dublin.  

To say we are devastated doesn’t even cover it. Some of this post was taken from our sister soup runs page the Homeless St Café but it sums up exactly how we are feeling

Over the last 4 years me and my amazing team have been trying to feed and care for the homeless in Dublin. We have only been able to do this each week with the kind donations from many of the people reading this. We have overcome many obstacles and barriers to provide the service every Tuesday and Saturday but this latest strike may very sadly be the final nail in the coffin for Friends Helping Friends.

Without prior contact and on foot of No complaints, the HSE’s Environmental Health department met us before we could started feeding our long queue the other Tuesday. They asked me a number of questions about how we operate. They referred to us continuously as a food business or as a charity, of which we are neither. It's actually something we’ve always prided ourselves on; simply being a group of like-minded people merely wanting to share a bit of care and kindness our forgotten homeless population.

We had hoped that the Dept would treat us similarly to other cases we are aware of where only recommendations were made. However, despairingly we have subsequently received a letter to outline to us that they have chosen in the case of homeless soup runs to subject us a strict compliance issues and full enforcement action and closure if we do not comply!!

My first reaction on receiving the letter was being completely overwhelmed with emotion. It really should not be this hard to help people in need. I just can’t believe people would work harder to stop you than help you. Now, however, while it would be easier to just quit, I feel we have to advocate for those who rely on us and let our supporters know what’s happening for us, and more importantly to the homeless people themselves.

We are not averse to recommendations and welcome any support we can get. However imposing costs on us to meet regulations designed for the professional food industry is too hard. For example, asking a small group like us to have full hand washing facilities to serve cakes on the side of the street is difficult to fathom, particularly when there was a complete failure by the relevant authorities to provide any hand washing or toilet facilities for the homeless during Covid lock downs when it was identified as one of the key elements in Covid prevention. Shocking - these facilities were then provided for social drinkers once a few videos circulated.
 
Or asking a pensioner who occasionally makes sandwiches for us to attend and pay for a specialised food safety training and to register and have her kitchen inspected by the HSE is beyond what can be expected of ordinary, caring people. This alone would be the death knell for what we are trying to provide; the end of people sharing what they can with other people.

When did we become this type of nation? A nation that reprimands repeatedly for helping those in need, that tells us not to help, then puts in strict limits about how to help, and then is trying to force us out with the unfeasible costs of helping. All we ever wanted to do was show we care and pass on people’s kindness to those in need. Our service and the other soup runs are hugely valued by those who turn up each week. Getting the ‘applause of a grateful nation’ on The Late Late Show 18 months ago, and now being forced off the street with this. When did we become such a Nanny state that deters ordinary people showing kindness?

We are not the only soup run to have been visited and according to the inspectors they will be visiting them all.

Does this level of enforcement apply to every cake sale, coffee morning or other incidence of sharing food? I doubt it.

If Dublin City Council or the HSE want to provide us with a premises to operate from with hand washing facilities, a kitchen, and people offering to do all this for free, they know where we are.

I really am sickened to my core. I’m beaten. I’m heart-broken that this is where we are. What’s the point in teaching our children to share and care, when such acts are severely punished in adulthood.

To the government, HSE and Dublin City Council I say…
This is your job to do, so do it and we will happily go on with our lives
Or failing that, help us to do the job you can’t or won’t
But for the love of God, if you can't do any of the above, leave us alone to do it in peace.

To the homeless that use our service each week…
We are so sorry this is happening and we will try our very best to overcome this for you somehow.

Friends Helping Friends is a soup run in Dublin Inner City which provides food, clothes, sleeping bags etc to the homeless and those who have hit hard times.

2 comments:

  1. That is an appalling state of affairs, where is the compassion?

    ReplyDelete
  2. During the recession of the eighties, there were relatively few homeless in the capital. Housing costs have increased 7 fold post 1995 , & will continue increasing & a similar rate.

    ReplyDelete