Charity may begin at home, but shouldn’t end there

In response to Patrick L O’Brien’s letter (’Charity begins at home’, May 26)) it is a travesty that homelessness in Ireland has risen in recent months. However, there exist a great number of charities working to better the situations of those experiencing homelessness (Focus Ireland, the Simon Community, COPE, Welcome Home, Novas and Depaul Ireland).

To belittle the contributions these organisations make towards a solution to the crisis would be unjust. It would also be unjust to belittle the problems faced by victims of war, drought and famine. Ireland is a first world country with good technology and near-excellent resources.

It would be difficult to tell a child left orphaned by violence in the South Sudan, a mother dying of malaria in Ghana or a father without enough to feed his family in Mali that Ireland is a nation in turmoil.

It is surely our duty to help those who need help whenever they come from. Charity may begin at home, but it is not at home that it should end.

Nora Baker

Moycullen

Co Galway