In Waterford over 300 people access our Waterford Services every month with over 20 families including 27 children under 12 currently living in emergency accommodation in the city. The real number of people who are homeless is higher again as there are also many more people across the city and county who are staying with friends ‘couch surfing’.

Focus Ireland has provided homeless services in Waterford for the last 16 years and the city is now the charity’s largest centre outside of Dublin. The Big Deise Sleep Out is an opportunity for the Waterford community to show their solidarity with families and children who face homelessness this Christmas. These families live under terrible stress and children suffer the most; so much so that specialist support services for children and families traumatised by their experience of homelessness are now needed.  We are asking the people of the Deise to come out sleep under the stars for one night after which we can go home unlike so many others. Sleep Outs are always unique and very rewarding to take part in so all are welcome to join us in making a statement that much more needs to be done, and very importantly to help raise funds to help us meet the constant rising demand for our services. 89c of every euro received goes to frontline services.