The History of Dublin Simon Community

Dublin Simon Community was founded by a group of Trinity and UCD students in 1969, who began by providing much-needed soup and sandwiches to people who were sleeping rough in Dublin city centre.

In addition to the Soup Run, which still goes out 365 nights of the year, Dublin Simon Community provide many services which aim to help those who are sleeping rough on the streets, people who are in their own accommodation but at risk of homelessness and those who are at any of the stages in between.


1969

The first Soup Run was founded by students from Trinity College and UCD.

1976

Our first supported housing service opened. Today we provide a range of housing services.

1984

Rough Sleeper Team established providing support, advice and health services.

1989

Ushers Island opened. Today it provides addiction treatment and recovery services.

2000

Our first training, education and employment services were set up.

2002

Resettlement service established. We now provide prevention services and tenancy support.

2003

Alcohol Detox and Rehab opens at Ushers Island.

2006

Social Club established.

2007

Learning and Development service established.

2008

Harm Reduction Service set up by Rough Sleeper Team.

2010

  • Mobile Health Unit set up with Safetynet.
  • Support to Live Independently Service established in partnership with four Dublin Local Authorities.

2012

We expanded our housing support services into Kildare, Wicklow and Meath.

2015

Housing Management Service expanded to manage Simon’s supported and independent accommodation.

2016

We opened new counselling rooms as part of expanding our Sure Steps Counselling.

2017

  • We expanded our homeless specific Community Employment Scheme, with opportunties for placements across our services.
  • We opened “The Hub” beside our treatment services at Ushers Island, transforming a derelict warehouse into exercise and creative rooms for our health, wellbeing, education and creativity services
  • Our new 30 bed emergency accommodation at Longfields opened its doors in December.
  • We expanded our homelessness prevention services into Cavan and Louth.

2018

  • We opened a Step Up Step Down Intermediate Care Facility at Ushers Island in partnership with Safetynet Primary Care.
  • We expanded our homelessness prevention into Monaghan.