Match voluntary effort with State funding

YOUR editorial headlined ‘Charities need our full support’ (Irish Examiner, Sept 7) leads to the important conclusion that we must work together as a united community if we are to provide adequate help to vulnerable people.

Cork Simon Community benefits from a great deal of volunteer support from local people, which is just as well as volunteering is central to our work. Over one-third of our ‘person hours’ are provided by volunteers and, without this help, we would simply not be able to function at current levels.

However, the hard work of the people of Cork must be underpinned by sufficient levels of Government funding. This, together with the support of local people and businesses, will mean that, in the future, there will be no reason for anyone to be homeless in Cork.