Shoe boxes and coats for Simon
A coat drive and shoe box appeal has been organised for people wishing to help Dundalk Simon Community.
The idea came from Rochelle Lazaro, who is originally from the Philippines, but has been living in Dundalk since 2008 when she came here to study and liked the town so much that she never left.
A fledgling entrepreneur Rochelle and a few friends did a collection for refugees in Syria, which took up so much time that she was unable to organise a coat drive for those who spend their days on the streets.
When a friend in Dublin sent out a text message about the Luas’ Shoebox Appeal for Inner City Helping Homeless, she remembered that she had wanted to do one for Dundalk Simon Community.
Rochelle then designed a poster for a coat drive and shoe box appeal, listing the items which people can donate. ‘I wanted to do a coat drive because it’s the only way I can help the homeless keep warm this Winter as I can’t provide them shelter,’ she says. ‘We all know what it’s like to be cold, but thankfully we have the option to turn on the heat or put on the fire to keep ourselves warm. There are some people who don’t have that luxury and this is for them.’
She got in touch with Wayne Rutherford of Martial Arts Fitness Centre where she does kick boxing and she was delighted that he agreed that the centre could be used as a drop-off and collection point as did Stephen Mulligan of Fighting Fit.
People wishing to support the coat drive or shoe box appeal can leave can leave their donations at MAS-F, Unit 1, Butterly Business Park, Coe’s Road, from 2pm to 7pm on Friday December 2 and atnSaturday,
Fighting Fit, Blackthorn Business Park, 10A Coe’s Road, from , 1pm to 5pm on Saturday December 3.
For the shoe boxes, people are asked to include socks, underwear, toothpaste, toothbrush, roll on deodorant, shower gel/ shampoo, hand/body lotion, chocolate, sweets, female hygiene products.
No aerosols, hand sanitiser, mouth wash, razors, perfume or after-shave. For sorting purposes, please mark your shoe box with either male or female adult or male/female child.
For the coat drive, people can donate reusable old coats, jackets or jumpers.