SSE Airtricity is supporting Simon this Christmas with a donation of over €40,000 on behalf of its employees.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March, SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest supplier of 100% green energy, has donated over €200,000 to Simon Communities both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
In July, SSE Airtricity made a €150,000 contribution to help the charity with essential PPE equipment, so they could continue providing their services to those in need. In November, 100 SSE employees right across Ireland took part in a Virtual Sleepout for Simon that raised over €10,000. Now as a Christmas gesture in response to these difficult times, the company has made a further donation of over €40,000 to Simon Communities on behalf of its employees.
The effects of the COVID-19 emergency on Simon Communities have been costly and wide-ranging. Charities like Simon Community are seeing the impact of this loss on their services and are experiencing a significant reduction in fundraising income as a direct result of the global pandemic. The support of SSE Airtricity is not only helping the charity to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, it will also have a huge impact on Simon Community services across the country.
Simon Communities throughout Ireland provide crucial supports both to people experiencing homelessness and those in danger of falling into homelessness. The money raised by SSE Airtricity will go towards the provision of vital services to those in need, which will be delivered by Simon Communities across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Jennifer Kitson on behalf of Simon Community, said: “Simon Communities are continuously responding to ensure the health and wellbeing of our clients and staff is protected, while providing critical supports for homelessness across Ireland. Throughout Covid-19, SSE Airtricity and its employees have been incredibly generous in their support of our work. The company’s contributions throughout the year have helped us to recover the huge cost of PPE which is vital to protecting our staff and clients. I also had the opportunity to dial-in for the Virtual Sleep Out in November and it was amazing to see such a collective level of commitment to support Simon Communities in the midst of lockdown. We are operating in uncertain times and SSE Airtricity’s support will really help us to make up for funds lost throughout this crisis.”
Klair Neenan, Managing Director of SSE Airtricity, said: “SSE Airtricity is very proud of our partnership with the Simon Community and have great admiration for the incredible work they do. This time of year is always difficult for our most vulnerable members of society and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on charities which provide essential services to those in need. I would like to thank all of our employees for their fundraising efforts this year, including the ‘Virtual Sleepout for Simon’ in November. This is an extremely difficult time for those experiencing homelessness and these donations will help Simon to continue providing their essential services to those who need it most.”
In 2019, SSE Airtricity employees selected the Simon Community as the energy firm’s charity partner of choice and will continue to support its efforts into 2021.
