Introducing our Charity Partner for the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2023: Dublin Simon Community

About the Dublin Simon Community

Over the last 50+ years, Dublin Simon Community has supported people experiencing homelessness. Dublin Simon's services have expanded to assist people across Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, Louth, Cavan, and Monaghan. As a community, they support people to exit homelessness, access and retain homes, and rebuild lives by delivering housing, health, and wellbeing services.

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.

In 2021, the organization provided services to over 6,600 people experiencing homelessness. Services include emergency outreach and accommodation, medium and high support long-term accommodation, independent housing, tenancy support, treatment and mental health services, as well as personal development such as employability programs, literacy, IT, art, and well-being classes.

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.

About our Partnership

As part of the awards entry process, we request that all entrants send us samples of their product for our esteemed judging panel to sample. The Judging process lasts two weeks and we collect varying amounts of products throughout this duration, which are then passed onto our Kitchen Team to prepare, as per the packet cooking instructions, and served to the judging panel, comprising of industry experts.

Although we ensure that our Judges are served an adequate portion of our entrants' products, our Kitchen Team are careful not to prepare more samples than are necessary, so as to avoid unnecessary food waste.

We have agreed to donate any leftover ambient, chilled and frozen products to the Dublin Simon Community to be distributed to those in need. All of the the donated products will then be  wrapped, stored to maintain hygiene and freshness, and are in date - something that the Dublin Simon Community do as standard.

How can you help?

With your support, Dublin Simon Community can continue to be there for people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes. Head over to www.dubsimon.ie to find out more about how you can also get involved and help support this fantastic cause.

Visit the Dublin Simon Community website

This year's Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards

Entries for this year's awards close this week, at midnight on Friday 26 May 2023. We have a vast range of categories which we encourage you to browse and familiarise yourself with.

Browse the Irish Quality Food and Drink Award categories 

Good luck!