South East Simon Chief Executive Fiona Lewis, whose organisation is dealing with an increasing level of homelessness in Waterford and its environs. | Photo: Noel Browne
The South East Simon Community has noted a ‘severe increase’ in homelessness, along with those now facing the prospect of life without a roof over their heads.
The organisation’s Chief Executive told The Munster Express that they are dealing with people from a more diverse range of backgrounds than ever before, a group that’s become known as the ‘new poor’.
“They come from all walks of life,” said Fiona Lewis.
“They come from different cultures, from different social backgrounds, be they people who were born into a cycle of homelessness and didn’t have good home parenting skills who didn’t learn to manage a home in the first instance and there are also those who have fallen foul of the current recession.
“I’m referring to people who may have lost their jobs and who may work in the service industry who aren’t getting as many hours as they used to. We recently had someone who worked in the factory business who availed of our service, from a job that would have been considered one of the ‘better’ jobs in the Industrial Estate.
