USI drive: essential winter supplies for refugees

In 2023, more people have been displaced than at any point in human history. War, disasters, climate change, famine, and persecution have forced over 100 million people to flee their homes in search of refuge.

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Ireland works to accompany, serve, and advocate for those seeking International Protection in locations across Ireland. This winter, they are supporting a particularly vulnerable group - almost 500 men who are being accommodated in tents in 3 centres across the country. Conditions in these tents are extremely difficult: the tents are practically unheated, are very exposed to the weather, and contain just basic camp-beds without mattresses.

At the end of November, 100 newly-arrived asylum seekers were transferred to tented accommodation. Having just arrived in the country in recent days, many of them are effectively destitute - lacking appropriate clothing for the winter weather or the financial resources to buy clothing or other essential items. These new arrivals will not be able to access any kind of welfare support for some time, and so are in urgent need of warm clothes and other provisions to alleviate their very difficult living conditions.

Your donations will go directly to purchase the essentials needed to alleviate the hardship faced by International Protection Applicants staying in tented accommodation - including warm jackets, fleeces, hats, gloves, and socks. Any donations received in excess of the fundraising target will be allocated to the JRS Ireland Hardship Fund, established in response to the increasing number of asylum seekers in need of basic material supports due to unprecedented pressures on the accommodation system and delays accessing mainstream State services