People’s Kitchen programme coordinator and Independent Old Park Councillor Paul McCusker is calling for more support from Stormont to combat the “crisis” which he says is increasing.
The north Belfast charity supports over 80 people with breakfast every morning and links those in need with health and addiction services as well as the Housing Executive to help secure stable accommodation.
Mr McCusker called for a “long term commitment” from Stormont to tackle homelessness.
“I don’t believe there’s enough being done,” Mr McCusker explained.
“We need to look at prevention and early intervention. We see the crisis every day, we see the devastation that homeless men and women and their families are having to face.”
He added: “So we know there’s not enough being done and we need a long term commitment from the minister to look at a long term approach.”
Mr Lyons plating food
It comes after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, North Belfast MLA Carál Ní Chuilín and local MP John Finucane visited the People’s Kitchen to discuss strategies to combat homelessness in Belfast.
Mr Lyons was also joined by MLA Carál Ní Chuilín and MP John Finucane.
Mr Finucane praised the “incredible work” and “vital services” that the Peoples Kitchen provide throughout out Belfast and which relies solely relies on public funding.
He said: “Today, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited the People’s Kitchen’s premises to see first-hand the amazing role this organisation plays in supporting those without a home.
“Remarkably, they receive no public funding for delivery of these services, relying on the generosity of the public to support homeless people.”
The MP for North Belfast said Stormont will aim to build more homes and ensure organisations such as the Peoples Kitchen have “adequate support, tools and resources to carry out this work” which is “desperately needed on our streets.”
He added: “We asked the minister to look at potential funding streams for the organisation to ensure they can continue to provide this necessary support, now and into the future.”
Following his visit to the People’s Kitchen, Mr Lyons also hailed the charity for their efforts of those involved who work on “the frontline of homelessness in Northern Ireland.”
Mr Lyons with kitchen staff
To combat the issue, Mr Lyons unveiled the Executive Housing Supply Strategy which plans to address several problems with housing, including homelessness.
Mr Lyons said: “I said then, and repeat now, that we must be radical in our approach, seeking innovative solutions, thinking of different ways to respond to need.
“Work on delivering this continues at pace, and initiatives to provide more cost-effective accommodation, and housing for those moving on from temporary accommodation, are progressing,” he added.
The Minister of Communities supplied the Housing Executive an additional £6.7m to prevent the closure of homeless services and “ensure statutory obligations can continue to be met.”
The People’s Kitchen have also launched their own charter to end rough sleeping.
The charter will put a focus on the organisation committing to enforcing concrete change to homelessness by the end of this current assembly’s term office.
A nighttime homeless support unit is also in the works for the organisation which will offer housing advice alongside a local pharmacy to provide medical support.
Damian McNairney from the People’s Kitchen said: “In the year 2025 there shouldn’t be people the streets – we’re a wealthy enough society. So, the people’s kitchen has launched a charter to end rough sleeping.”
Mr McCusker added that the initiative would extend the support for vulnerable displaced people noting that “after five o’clock in Belfast services tend to step down a bit.”
The Old Park Councillor said the issue has “continued year-on-year” and has went from initially only feeding several people nine years ago to “over 1000 people a week.”
He began to notice a particular surge following the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“People were losing employment, were unable to their landlords and I think the cost-of-living issues as well,” he explained. “There are a range of different reasons why people become homeless and that has continued to increase year-on-year.”
“That long term stability is really important for someone’s life, most people who come into the People’s Kitchen today struggle with addiction.”
Mr McCusker explained that due to a lack of housing support many homeless people will spend the night in the Emergency Department because “they have nowhere else to go” putting further pressure on already “exacerbated” health service.
Mr Lyons said there are “a number of ways the executive can work across departments” to tackle the homelessness crisis and it aims to achieve success in easing through a “combined effort.”
He added “I recognise that it will take time – and a combined effort – to achieve this ambition, and our immediate short-term focus must continue to be supporting those currently in crisis.