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