About Us
Hope is Where the Heart Is
The Capuchin Day Centre is an initiative of the Irish Capuchin friars who continue to play an active role in the day-to-day life of the Centre and the services it provides. The Capuchin Day Centre endeavours at all times to concretely express the values and ethos of the Capuchin Order with the highest professional standards in service provision.
The Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People is a charitable organisation founded in 1969 by Brother Kevin Crowley, a Capuchin friar. The Day Centre provides over 1,000 hot meals each day and more than 1,450 food parcels each week to people who are in need or who are homeless.
The Day Centre also provides a medical service, an informal advice and information service and showering facilities. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, or what you believe; all are welcome and no-one goes hungry.
The current Capuchin Director of the Day Centre is Capuchin friar, Fr. Kevin Kiernan who took up the reigns from his predecessor, Br. Kevin Crowley on his retirement in August 2022. Fr. Kevin’s role as Capuchin Director ensures that the Day Centre remains faithful to its Capuchin heritage, an identity also deeply valued by the professional staff and volunteers who support the practical day to day delivery of services. Other Capuchin friars who serve our guests in the Day Centre during the week also provide a pastoral presence that has been a hallmark of the Centre since its beginning.
The Capuchin Day Centre could not function without the ongoing support of its donors and benefactors, the dedication of its staff and the commitment of its volunteers many of whom have been a part of the Day Centre’s story for many years.
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all our donors and benefactors who provide the vast majority of funding that enables us to respond to food poverty and social disadvantage.
We would also like to acknowledge the support we receive from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, the Health Service Executive, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth.
Our Story
The Irish Capuchin Franciscan Friars first came to Ireland in the early 1600s. Their story began much earlier though, when in 1209 St Francis of Assisi dedicated himself and his first followers to the living of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They chose a life of brotherhood and prayer and founded what grew to become a huge religious family.
Through the years, the Capuchins became part of the fabric of Ireland and have stayed with and supported the Irish people through many difficult times in history. Through persecution, famine, poverty, and pain the Capuchin friars have always tried to be a comforting and healing presence and have a long history of advocating for religious freedom and cultural expression. Their impact is felt throughout Ireland, in many facilities, activities and initiatives. As well as their role at the Capuchin Day Centre, the friars are active in hospital chaplaincies, parish work, reflective retreats and an embryonic ecological project.
While much has changed over the 400 years that the Capuchin friars have been in Ireland, their values, convictions and work is unchanged and is reflected in the work of the Capuchin Day Centre.
Our Mission
The Capuchin Day Centre was founded on the principle of ‘relieving the hardship endured by homeless people.’ We welcome all people in need of food aid who have no home or who are socially excluded – and we provide them with a caring, pastoral, holistic and non-judgemental service.
Our Values
The Centre offers unconditional access – regardless of age, race, gender, nationality and religious or political beliefs. Those who come to the Centre for its meal services are never asked for any personal information or about their reasons for using its services. This openness has seen the Centre become a firm bedrock of homeless services in Dublin and a reliable safety net for some of the most vulnerable in society.
Focused on our Guests
We refer to those who use our services as guests. They are front and centre in everything we do.
Respect and Dignity
We will always welcome those who come to the Centre as our guests and treat them as we ourselves would like to be treated.
Non-Judgemental
We make no judgements about those who seek our support. Everyone will be welcomed as a guest, and no one goes hungry.
Pastoral and Holistic Care
We offer physical, emotional, social and spiritual support.
Governance
We have a strong governance structure to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and relevant professional standards.
People
We are grateful to have a team of professionally managed staff and committed volunteers who ensure we consistently coordinate the high volume of services we deliver.
How the Work has Evolved
‘From simple beginnings to the challenges of recessions and the cost of living crisis – the Capuchin Day Centre has developed to meet the emerging needs of the people who come to us for food and other supports.’
Capuchin Daily Meals and Weekly Food Parcels
When first founded, the Capuchin Day Centre had a daily attendance of approximately 50 people. Today, the Day Centre provides on average 350 hot breakfasts and 750 hot lunches each day. Meals are of a high quality, nutritious and varied while also balancing the need to provide for large numbers of guests in a short service window. We have also developed a significant warehousing, sorting and food parcel distribution operation, providing up to 1,500 food parcels for those in need each week.
Capuchin Clinic services
As the Capuchin Day Centre’s meal service has grown over time, so has our range of supports and today we also provide hygiene and clinical services to homeless people in Dublin. People who visit the Day Centre can use our washing and showering facilities, get clean clothes and see a nurse/doctor, dentist, optician or chiropodist. All services are provided at no cost to our guests. The dignity of our guests is always our priority.
Capuchin Family Supports
In the early days of the Capuchin Day Centre, our guests were mainly older men. Today there is an ever-growing number of families who live in food poverty. We are keenly aware of the needs of families with babies and infants who are also affected by food poverty and we prepare and distribute infant packs including baby food, nappies and other essentials for new-borns and young children as well as hospital maternity packs for women going into hospital to give birth and back-to-school packs for children of school age.
Expressing Values Shared by our Donors and Benefactors
The Capuchin Day Centre could do nothing without the ongoing support and commitment of our donors and benefactors who provide the resources that enable us keep going. We know how busy the world is today. People are under pressure from many sides and not only money, but also time, can be in short supply. For that reason, we see ourselves as acting on their behalf and doing what they would like to do, but simply don’t have the time or capacity to do. They are essentially expressing their own values through the work of the Capuchin Day Centre that they support through their donations. That alignment of values is essential in enabling us to do what we do and we are extremely grateful for it.
