In a Year Like No Other, You Kept Hope Alight - Merchants Quay Ireland
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Our Winter WISH LIST, MQI Staff and Clients Say Thank You, David’s Story in His Own Words,
page 2 pages 3-4 pages 5-6
WINTER 2021
The Newsletter for Supporters of Merchants Quay Ireland
A Message for 2021, by CEO Paula Byrne —
In a Year Like No Other, 100% Funded...
You Kept Hope Alight By You
The following programmes,
Would any of us have believed it, had we known 12 projects and services for people
months ago what lay ahead? The huge changes we’d in dire need were 100% funded
all have to make. Just to keep going and be safe. When by you in 2020
– thank you!
everything Merchants Quay Ireland stands for was
thrown into turmoil, your kindness shone through. • Expansion of our Assertive
When clients needed help more than ever, you stayed Outreach team, who
the course with them. You kept the flame of hope provide essential basic
alight at MQI… supplies to those sleeping
rough during COVID-19. In
I
t has to be the cruelest thing 2020, your compassion
about Covid – that it thrives reached 617 women and
on everything wonderful men living on the streets.
about being human. It struck at • Safeguarding an
the very core of Merchants Quay’s additional nursing role for
ethos – our welcome at the door. the next three years. In
Warm smiles. A comforting touch 2020, your kindness allowed
on the shoulder. A friendly chat 686 people to receive vital
over a hot cup of tea. In March healthcare from MQIs
last year it felt like every day we nursing team.
had to adjust. • Refurbishment of 10
bedrooms at St Francis
You helped us find whole new few services open. HSE guidance Farm, providing a homely
ways of reaching out with support meant the number of clients we and welcoming environment
and love to people who had could safely have in our Riverbank for our rehab and detox
nothing and nobody. building was severely reduced. clients as they build new
But you made sure we could still lives. Last year, 100 people
Many new people became provide vital healthcare and offer finished treatment and
homeless since the pandemic hit hot, nourishing take-away meals started their drug-free lives,
our shores. Some were in twice a day. thanks to you.
emergency accommodation for
the first time, fearful of where Your commitment helped us where they lie. Out on the streets
they found themselves. Others adapt our services – bringing the first thing in the morning, the team
decided to take their chances heart of MQI out onto the streets. carry backpacks full of basic
sleeping rough on the deserted You helped expand MQI’s supplies like food, water, hats,
streets. Anxious and desperate, Assertive Outreach team so that gloves, wipes, and hand sanitizer.
they wondered why there were so help could be brought to people continued on Page 2
www.mqi.ie
Hope is here, because of you. Thank you. When clients needed help more than ever, you stayed the course with them. Thank you for keeping the flame of hope alight...
In their own words, MQI staff and clients say thank you:
“MQI is a life-saving service. “One day I was feeling very
Continued from Page 1
Winter It’s the variety of things that down, and I didn’t tell any-
Hope Kept Alight…. WISH LIST they have here; a doctor, one. But Sheena, the mental
Searching the streets, alleys and
nurse, mental health team. I health nurse, knew straight
parks. Checking that people can’t thank the donors away that I was feeling low,
who’d spent the night in a enough. Their kindness without me saying anything.
doorway or on the pavement, had means so much to people. If It’s amazing the way they
something to eat and drink. And it wasn’t for them, care and go out of their way
when they needed somebody to Merchant’s Quay wouldn’t for you.”
talk to, your generosity made it be open.” – Anne,
happen. For people afraid and – Noel, Riverbank mental health client
lonely on the streets, falling into Darren, Project Worker
homeless centre client Elizabeth, Donor Care Ken, Aftercare Manager
despair, you made sure they had
a lifeline. Your gift of kindness “I couldn’t imagine being in a
found the way through, so clients “High Park has given me the more suitable environment
knew they weren’t forgotten. tools to cope with a lot of during the lockdown. Being
emotional damage, and to around other people who are Lourdes, Community Engagement Worker
You helped fund an additional help change a lot of in the same boat as me
nursing role. Every day saw behaviours that were so makes this much easier. The
Emma Murphy, MQI’s donor relations manager
people’s health deteriorating – in ingrained in me. For the first group are all so supportive of
body and mind – urgently each other. That keeps me
A wish in itself is a simple thing, pure of the heart for the time in years I was actually
needing care. Through your focused on the reasons I
hope it will bring. As the cold and dark weather continues, seen and listened to. I was
generosity, MQI was able to tend came here in the first place.”
your gifts will brighten the most difficult days. If you find given the space and a safe
to their wounds, heal their
yourself with extra to spare, the following items would environment to help me – Dan,
sickness and soothe their spirits. Declan, MQI Volunteer
make a massive difference to a man or woman facing life explore.” aftercare client
on the streets: – Glen, former
For the brave men and women Mark, Head of Recovery Services
who were already fighting to a New, packaged underwear for both women and men
High Park client
reclaim their drug-free lives, a New packaged socks, hats, scarves, and gloves
MQI’s rehabilitation and detox
centres remained open. Clients
a Toiletries of all kinds: shampoo, shower gel, shaving
gear, toothbrushes, and toothpaste “I’m on my feet all day,
Thank you
and staff pulled together to keep a BIG WISH! €1,600 for a new electrical medical bed. trying to keep warm and
each other safe. For a while there An extra bed means our staff can bring relief to more occupied. It’s hard when for your grace and
were no visitors, and holistic rough sleepers, who often suffer untreated infections there’s no one around, it’s
therapies, workshops and training
had to be paused. But computers
and chronic health conditions. like a ghost town. Every-
body keeps saying that,
generosity in 2020.
and technology kept family To keep everybody safe and well please abide by the latest travel don’t they? Well, I’ll tell you,
contact possible, so relationships
could be given a chance to heal.
advice. At the time of going to print our fundraising team are
working from home and the office is closed. So - please do not travel
we’re the ghosts. Thankful- Today, someone is
ly, I’ve still been able to get
to our office to drop in your Winter Wish List donations.
When the need was greatest,
some food and medical care.
MQI have been a lifesaver, alive because you cared.
you were there with us. We have Instead, we would be very grateful to receive a donation over the
Ryan, Outreach Project Worker
literally.”
the honour of doing all this work phone towards these items. Or you could hold these items until it’s
– Stephen,
in your name. Thank you. Thank safe to pop into us. Call Emma on 01 524 0965 at any stage and we Greg and Amy, Outreach project workers
outreach client
you for the amazing gift of hope can discuss the best option. •
you give. Every day of the year.
Thank you, and stay safe!
You are our light. •
With gratitude and love for all you do this year and every year, from your MQI family.
2 www.mqi.ie 3 www.mqi.ie 4 www.mqi.ie
“I am beginning to see life is worth living and I want to make it a nice life.” David, MQI client
Battling Homelessness and Addiction:
David’s Story in His Own Words
2021 will be a better year for all of us. David knows this more than anyone. While
Ireland was in lockdown – David was in recovery at MQI’s St. Francis Farm
Rehabilitation Centre in Co. Carlow. With your support he has reclaimed his
drug-free life and is rebuilding relationships with his family. Today he embraces
the future, knowing in his heart that he deserves to be happy. Here, in his own
words, David shares his journey with you, his MQI family…
around Dublin’s city centre.
Twice I woke up and a person
was dead beside me.
I was going out of my head
and taking drugs just to survive
on the streets. I wanted to get
help years ago but when you’re
in addiction, you just can’t reach
“As soon as I arrived at St. Francis Farm, I felt safe. I felt people understood me. The staff can relate to how people’s problems start.
out and grab it. I couldn’t even It’s like unravelling a knot.” David, MQI client
talk to anyone about it, that’s
how alone I felt. people understood me. The staff I’m still learning to manage to. I was definitely on my last
can relate to how people’s obviously. People see that I’m life out there. If it wasn’t for
Merchants Quay Ireland was problems start. It’s like trying to help myself, and I’m Merchants Quay and the kind
a lifeline. Being able to come to unravelling a knot. rebuilding relationships with my donors who support them, more
Riverbank for a shower and family in the last couple of than likely I’d be in ground.
“It’s like I’ve just been reborn”
“The main thing with me is sorting out my mental health, just accepting myself for who something to eat kept me months. Being in St. Francis That’s the truth of it. I definitely
I am… It’s like I’ve just been reborn.” David, MQI client
together. And the help I got The main thing with me is Farm has opened my eyes. Deep don’t want to go back to living
I
had cancer twice in my “Things just spiralled out of there from the staff, the support sorting out my mental health, down, I’m still afraid of the on the streets.
twenties. I was used to control” they gave me when I needed it just accepting myself for who I future, but I’m beginning to see
being healthy and strong, so I managed for the first couple of most... that’s what kept me am. I got a lot of stuff out during life is worth living and I want to Your kind support of MQI
finding out I wasn’t, it was a years. I had my own place, I was holding on I suppose. the one-to-one counselling. make it a nice life. ensures we can continue to be
shock and it knocked me working. I had money saved up Being off drugs in rehab and a lifeline to men and women
sideways. I got very sick like, I for a deposit on a house. And I got septicaemia in my foot. doing all this work, it’s like I’ve I made the choice to go to just like David. Thank you. •
went down to under five stone then things just spiralled out of It seemed like I just woke up just been reborn. St.Francis Farm because I had
and was in hospital for months. control. It got bad very quickly. I with it one morning, but the
lost people around me, my job injury itself had happened about
I know I’m not the only one, and my girlfriend. All those a month before. I was taken to
lots of people have to go things vanished. hospital and while I was there, I To make your gift by phone: please ring us on 01 524 0139.
through it, but I really struggled. got onto methadone. From there
Telephone: 01 524 0139 At MQI we respect everyone who turns to
The cancer destroyed my body I was in my early thirties I was able to get into detox at us for help – and many are just beginning
Volunteering: 01 524 0128
and my confidence. My mental when I first became homeless. MQI’s St. Francis Farm. their fresh start in life. So while client stories
Email: supportercare@mqi.ie
health suffered the most, and I It’s very hard out there. I spent a are genuine and true, names are changed
Merchants Quay Ireland Website: www.mqi.ie and stock photographs of models are used
suppose I started using drugs to couple of years staying in As soon as I arrived at St.
24 Merchants Quay, Facebook: Merchants Quay Ireland for illustrative purposes and to protect client
cope with this. hostels. I slept in doorways all Francis Farm, I felt safe. I felt
P.O. Box 11958, Dublin 8 Twitter: @MerchantsQuayIR privacy. Thank you for your understanding.
5 www.mqi.ie 6 www.mqi.ie
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