Can you imagine being in your late sixties and suddenly losing your home? This was the reality for John. After a lifetime of renting, the sale of the property he lived in forced him back into the cycle of homelessness. For a long time, “home” was a bed in a crowded hostel, with no privacy. Everyday brought more uncertainty.

But when John Tett arrived at Riversdale, he could hardly believe what he was seeing. “I looked at the place and thought, “no, I can’t believe it,” he says. “I’ve got my own room.” After years moving from hostel to hostel, often sharing with several others, that privacy felt extraordinary. “It’s the simple things like that that mean so much.”

For John, home isn’t just about a place to sleep. It’s about support without judgment, independence without isolation, and the chance to live, not just survive. He says, “At my age, you realise sometimes you need help. And here, it’s there.

Together, we can create more places of safety and belonging like Riversdale. Join Our Monthly Giving Community to provide lasting support

Do you remember Derek? He shared his story with you last spring. Derek was deeply touched by the messages of care and encouragement he received from members of this amazing community.

Throughout his journey away from addiction, you made sure the right support was available to Derek every single step of the way.

When you last met him, he had just completed detox at our new Ushers Island centre and was living in one of Dublin Simon’s supported homes.

Now, a year later we sat down with Derek to get an update about his life in recovery.

Derek’s Journey

Street Outreach -> Detox at Ushers Island -> Supported Accommodation -> Client Development -> Keys to His Own Home

Dublin Simon: Derek, it is so good to see you again. I believe you have some news to share?

Derek: I do. Thanks to the amazing people in this community, I’m living a life I no longer thought was possible. Two weeks before Christmas, I turned the keys in the door of my own place. It’s a dream come true, and I’m so glad to share that with the people who made it all possible. Without you, my story would have turned out a lot differently. I wake up every day now with a sense of peace that I haven’t felt in years.

Dublin Simon: How did you feel that first time you turned the key?

Derek: It meant absolutely everything. Two years ago, I had nothing and I was ready to give up on life. I’m not ashamed to say that on that first night, I sat down with a cup of tea, listened to my favourite songs, and I cried. Finally, my prayers have been answered. I’ll never forget what this amazing community has done for me. You didn’t just give me a roof; you gave me a future.

Dublin Simon: What would you say to the people who support Dublin Simon?

Derek: First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart. There are no words that do justice to the difference you’ve made. You saved my life, there are no two ways about it. You believed in me even when I’d stopped believing in myself. From outreach to detox at Ushers Island, you were there. You made sure I
wasn’t rushed, and that I got the space and time I needed to heal properly. Without you, I’d still be on the streets, or maybe dead.

Dublin Simon: How has having a home changed your life?

Derek: It’s changed everything. I wake up knowing I’m safe. I can take a shower, have a coffee, and eat breakfast somewhere warm, clean, and dry. Those are things people take for granted, but they feel like the greatest luxuries in the world when you’ve been without them. It’s given me the stability I need to rebuild my life. I’m back at work now, and I’ve reconnected with my family. I know what it’s like to hear my mother say she’s proud of me again. You helped me get back the people I love.

Riversdale is specifically designed for women and men whose health needs mean they are unable to live independently. Because of your
generosity, we staff this house 24 hours a day with experienced care workers and trained volunteers. Your support ensures every resident is treated with dignity and choice.

“The gates go across at night. Staff check in. Everything is done politely,” John says. After many years living without it, that means a
lot to him. Staff work with each resident to develop individualised care plans aimed at building life skills.

Over time, Riversdale has become more than just accommodation, fellow residents and staff have become family. “They teach you about family, these people,” He says, “If they have something to say to you, they’ll say it, just like family does, with care and your best interest in mind.”

What you’re making possible for Riversdale’s residents

• Constant Support: Riversdale provides professional care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, specifically for those with complex health needs.

• Beyond the Bed: Your support funds unique care plans for every resident, focusing on building life skills and restoring the dignity of the individual

Last year, we received a donation made by a generous family honouring their daughter, Louise, who had sadly passed away. Along with their gift, the family sent a note asking if we would plant a tree in her memory.

We were humbled to honour that request. Today, a pear tree grows in the Riversdale garden, where the women and men living and working there can enjoy it for many years to come.

Much like this beautiful pear tree, with the right nurturing and care, lives can flourish. Every person we walk alongside has the potential to grow, to heal, and to thrive and gifts like this make that transformation possible.

Your legacy can also create lasting change. By remembering us in your will, or by making a gift in honour of someone you love, you can ensure your memory lives on through the work we do every day to prevent and end homelessness.

If you’d like to learn more about leaving a legacy or making a gift in memory, we would be honoured to speak with you.

Contact Jonathon Nolan at Legacies@dubsimon.ie or call 086 8235624

Thanks to your ongoing support, Christmas was a time of community and joy in our services. Christmas trees were put up and decorated, presents were exchanged and in services like Riversdale, clients and staff sat down together for dinner.

For many of our clients, this Christmas was the first in a long time that was spent safe and secure, surrounded by friendly faces and warmth. This is all thanks to your generosity.

Your donations have changed the lives of so many and never is this felt more than during the cold winter months.

Your Christmas stars, carrying personalised messages of support
and hope, were distributed across the services and hung on the Christmas trees.

Our clients and staff were able to go to the tree across the festive period to read heartwarming and meaningful notes offering good wishes, words of encouragement and love, and much more.