“The Community Call” Fingal’s countywide volunteering effort in response to the COVID-19 emergency
Fingal’s COVID-19 Community Response Forum has requested that people who need help, know someone who needs help or would like to offer help should get in touch by contacting the Community Line, telephone 01-890-5000, freephone 1-890-459-059 or by email covidsupport@fingal.ie.
The Forum had another meeting on Friday morning to continue the coordination of Fingal’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Forum has been in operation since Monday of this week and is now leading the county’s response to the Coronavirus emergency.
The Community Response Helpline, which is operated by Fingal County Council’s Customer Care Unit seven days a week 8am to 8pm, was busy all week with members of the community ringing looking for assistance.
The majority of requests have been for the collection and delivery of food and other essential goods to the homes of vulnerable people while other calls have sought An Garda Síochána assistance and the delivery of cooked meals to homes. Volunteers from local GAA clubs and the Fingal Volunteer Centre have been busy all week providing these support services for vulnerable residents.
The Fingal Community Response Forum is not providing transportation service for people who are to be tested for COVID-19 and request that people who are looking for transport support to contact their GP for advice.
Fingal’s Community Response Forum is made up of national and local public institutions, community organisations and public representatives with the chair being the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly. Those involved included:
Mayor of Fingal, Fingal County Council, the HSE, Fingal Local Community Development Committee, An Post, Community Welfare Service, Tusla, Garda Síochána, Fingal Volunteer Centre, Muintir na Tire, Order of Malta, Dublin Civil Defence, Dublin GAA, Local Link, Citizens Information, Fingal Public Participation Network, ALONE, TU Dublin, Fingal Chamber of Commerce, Empower, Fingal Leader Partnership, Irish Farmers Association, and other agencies as required
The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Eoghan O’Brien, added: “I would like to thank all of the agencies who have come on board with the Community Response Forum and have mobilised so quickly in getting on board with the community effort around protecting and helping those who are vulnerable and cocooning at this time.”
As of Thursday, 44% of all requests called in were closed out after that request was fulfilled, 42% of calls had been assigned to be fulfilled, and 14% were about to be assigned.
AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council and Chair of the Fingal Community Response Forum, said: “The number of calls that our Community Response Helpline has received has been increasing each day as we continue to tackle the current public health emergency. It shows that we are a trusted source of support for our residents and community during this crisis. We will ensure that all requests we receive are dealt with, and that vulnerable members of our community receive the support they need.”
Alongside all other local authorities, Fingal County Council has teamed up with ALONE as part of our support services for those who may have been isolated from other social contacts. ALONE has received calls looking for support for collecting food and medical goods and all these requests have been passed onto the Fingal Community Response Forum.
The purpose of the Community Response Forum is to help vulnerable members of our community that may have been cut off from their families and friends and to ensure that they receive the support they need during this crisis, but this does not prevent neighbours helping neighbours where they can. So, make sure to check, if you can, on those nearest to you who may be vulnerable at this time to see if they need any help.
If you are looking for assistance from the Community Response Helpline, please try to include your Eircode as part of your address as it will help in assisting you as quickly as possible.
If you need help, know someone who needs help, or would like to offer help, please get in touch. The contact details for our Community Line is telephone 01-890-5000, freephone 1-890-459-059 and email covidsupport@fingal.ie.
