Busy Donegal Family Resource Centre on the move

Today, Wednesday, September 30, Cara House Family Resource Centre will close the Active Age Centre on the Lower Main Street, Letterkenny.

The office will be based in the Children’s Centre on Castle Street but some office staff will work from home. Later this year they will move to new premises on Pearse Road.

"The solidarity, dedication and commitment to a shared vision by the board, staff and friends is pulling us through these dark days," said Susan McCauley, coordinator of Cara House.

"From a very vibrant centre in March, through the lockdown and reopening everyone has been so committed to doing our best for the Letterkenny community.

"Through the lockdown we were happy to be available to the County Council and Family Resource Centre Support lines. We continued to support our older and vulnerable people through regular phone calls, sometimes twice a day.

"We delivered food to families with children under six and the childcare staff set up a Facebook page with ideas for themselves and parents. We planned for the new normal becoming well acquainted with Zoom!

"In the past four months we have been able to reopen our childcare, though with less children. We have had a small drop-in facility in the Lower Main Street and started five ‘Chat Groups’ in local cafés.

"When Chef Aid ended, we immediately resumed dinner deliveries to our clients and numbers have continued to increase."

She added: "It was with great sadness that we realised that almost all our adult courses could not take place. Some were able to transfer to Zoom but the ones that involved social activity, attended by many older people, such as Two Hand Dancing, Pilates and Tai Chi could not.

"This social contact is very important and the basis on which Cara House was built. With the new premises, which are large enough to allow social distancing, we hope to be able to resume many of these but in the meantime have set up a walking group. We welcome volunteers willing to help with fitting out the new complex!

Ms McCauley said they would maintain contact with everyone through their Facebook page Cara House FRC, their e-mailaddress, info@carahouse.ie and their mobile (086) 1223029.

"In the meantime, stay safe, cheerful and well, remembering ‘This too shall pass’" she said.