James and Derek Delaney, the owners of Oakwood Stud and the founders of the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial Series, the richest harness horse race in all of Ireland and the UK, announced today that this year's charity for the race weekend, August 12th, 13th and 14th, will be Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) of Dublin, Ireland.
The ICHH was formed in November 2013 to combat the ever growing homeless crisis that was clearly evident across the city of Dublin.
The organization, which is comprised 100% of all volunteers, operates a seven-day outreach service across the city, coinciding with their mobile outreach unit. ICHH’s outreach support service operates nightly providing access to beds, sleeping bags, food or case management referrals. ICHH works a 16-hour mobile outreach service, responding to rough sleeper reports within 15 minutes of getting a call. The service also operates seven days a week.
The website is at http://www.innercityhelpinghomeless.ie/.
“The homeless situation is a major crisis in Ireland right now,” said Derek Delaney, head of the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial Committee, “and we thought it be grand to give something to the less fortunate. We take things for granted and when you see the problem on the streets it breaks your heart. It could be any one of us and it's not only down and out drunks that's homeless, it's a real problem as today's housing problems seems to be a real factor in family's ending up on the street.
“We believe there are as many as 10,000 family's waiting to be housed in temporary accommodation, hotels, hostels etc,” Delaney added, “My wife Lillian's friend Bernie Kelly is a volunteer for ICHH and she always helps out with shoeboxes full of sanitary and toiletries items, food, clothing and such. So it was an easy charity to our committee to choose this year.
“Even my daughter Lexie recently won on the lotto with the bookies,” Delaney said with a chuckle, “and she decided to help the homeless and spend her winnings on them, which is great to see such a gesture from a 7-year-old girl. She makes me proud to be her dad!”
Much needed supplies for the ICHH are already being collected by the Vincent Delaney Memorial Committee. They are encouraging all local race fans and visitors for the race weekend to please consider bringing canned or boxed non-perishable foods, bathroom toiletries and clothing. Members of the ICHH will be at the track both Saturday and Sunday to collect the supplies.
Anyone not attending the gala dinner or the races in August can also donate to the ICHH at http://www.innercityhelpinghomeless.ie/.
"During the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial Weekend," Delaney said, "We will have fundraising days at the track just for the Inner City Helping Homeless and have some fantastic other events to raise awareness and funds for the charity. Our gala kickoff dinner on Friday, August 12 will feature many great items in our live auction and proceeds will go to the ICHH charity.”
Tickets for the gala kickoff dinner Friday, August 12 are still available, along with tickets to the VIP Tent on Sunday, August 14. For more information and to purchase tickets to either event, visit www.vincentdelaneymemorial.com.
By Steve Wolf, for the Vincent Delaney Memorial