A student has opened up about his experience of volunteering with and fundraising for the homeless in Dublin.
Speaking to Humans Of Dublin, Jamie Carroll Comiskey revealed that his journey began after his Mother saw a post on Facebook.
“It started with my mom seeing a post on Facebook from this community page called ‘Homeless Mobile Runs’. They were looking for extra cooks so she signed up and asked if I wanted to go with her. I didn’t have much else to do so I helped her make a big batch of lasagne".
Jamie says he was take aback by the number of people queuing up for food on the city's streets.
"When we pulled up at the end of Grafton Street I was shocked to see hundreds of people queuing up in front of the volunteers. I didn’t expect to see so many people but it was so well organised and the volunteers served a huge variety of food. Everyone was looked after and the community spirit was great.
"My first day just flew by but it was also eye-opening to see so many people in such a desperate situation. I decided there and then that I would help out regularly and I've been doing it every weekend for over a year and a half now."
Jamie says the experience has opened his eyes and made him want to become a Community Garda.
"Being in contact with our clients and hearing stories of people dying in doorways; seeing the homeless crisis first-hand, gave me a different way of seeing the city. Last year, I raised over €3000 for sleeping bags and I took a mental health first aid course to understand better what they are going through.
"I'm studying full time and working at the weekends, this along with volunteering means my schedule is very tight. The volunteers and our clients have inspired me to want to become a Community Garda and give support in disadvantaged areas. I want to be the person out there they can turn to when they need help…”
Jamie is nominated for Dublin Hero in 98FM's Best Of Dublin Awards 2019 alongside
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