What Dublin Simon Community does

Dublin Simon Community is an Irish non-profit charitable organization founded in 1969 that delivers a comprehensive continuum of homelessness services across seven counties: Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth, Cavan, and Monaghan. Its beneficiary population consists of individuals, adults, families, and children experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with the organization supporting more than 10,000 people annually through emergency accommodation, soup and breakfast runs, outreach interventions, medium and high support housing, independent housing, tenancy sustainment, residential detox and recovery, a blood-borne virus unit, the 12-bed Step Up Step Down intermediate care facility, the Sure Steps crisis suicide intervention counselling service, primary care nursing, client development programs, and community employment schemes.

The operational portfolio is organized into more than a dozen core service lines, with named sub-brands including the GAFF Collection (an ethically produced merchandise range created with artist Conor Merriman), Sure Steps Counselling, and Food for Simon. No proprietary technology platform underpins service delivery; the stated technology posture is that of a direct-service charity with an e-commerce online shop and standard digital marketing channels including social media, email newsletters, events, and an AI-generated brand film.

Dublin Simon Community is funded through a diversified non-profit revenue model combining individual donations (including a monthly giving program), corporate CSR partnerships (Microsoft, BWG Foods, Kepak, Coca Cola Bottlers Ireland), charity shop retail (Camden Street and Thomas Street locations), merchandise sales via the online shop, community fundraising events (Home Run, Sing for Simon, Longest Day), and likely statutory/public funding. The organization employs 251-500 staff, holds Irish charity registrations (CHY 5963, Charity Registration 20009892), was awarded Certified Body Status by the Housing Finance Agency in 2024, and operates without any parent company, private equity backing, or institutional investment.

Name

Dublin Simon Community

Legal name

Dublin Simon Community

Website

https://dubsimon.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Dublin Simon Community is an Irish non-profit charity founded in 1969 that delivers emergency accommodation, housing, treatment, counselling, and recovery services to more than 10,000 people experiencing homelessness across seven counties in Ireland's east and northeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Emergency accommodation
• Supported housing
• Addiction treatment
• Crisis counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization relies primarily on public donations, monthly giving programs, and one-time contributions from individuals to fund homeless services across Dublin and surrounding counties.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of merchandise including the GAFF Collection (limited-edition clothing), Christmas cards, Christmas Star Shop items, with proceeds supporting homeless services.
3. Charity Shops: Operation of charity shops on Camden Street and Thomas Street selling donated goods to generate revenue.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate fundraising, Food for Simon program donations, and sponsorship of events like the Home Run.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dublin Simon Community delivers a full continuum of homelessness services to individuals and families in Dublin and surrounding counties, including emergency outreach and accommodation, medium/high support and independent housing, prevention and tenancy sustainment, residential alcohol detox and recovery, the Sure Steps crisis suicide intervention counselling service, blood borne virus treatment, primary care nursing, and the Step Up Step Down intermediate care facility. These services are provided free to beneficiaries and funded through donations, monthly giving, corporate partnerships, merchandise sales and charity shops.

Product overview

Dublin Simon Community is a charitable organization providing a comprehensive continuum of homeless services across Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth, Cavan, and Monaghan. The organization operates as a multi-service charity rather than a technology product company, offering Emergency & Outreach Services, Housing Services (medium support, high support, and independent housing), Treatment & Recovery Services (detox, BBV unit, Step Up Step Down), Client Development programmes, Sure Steps Counselling, Community Employment, and an Online Shop. These services work together to support people from emergency accommodation through to long-term independent housing, with the goal of helping individuals and families exit homelessness and rebuild their lives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The GAFF Collection: A limited-edition, 100% cotton, ethically produced merch range created in collaboration with Dublin-based artist Conor Merriman. 100% of profits go towards helping people move from emergency accommodation into their own GAFF.
• Sure Steps Counselling Service
• Food for Simon

Products and services

• Emergency & Outreach Services Emergency accommodation and street outreach services providing people experiencing homelessness with a place of welcome, warmth and safety, including rough sleeper support and soup runs for adults and families.
• Housing Services Medium and high support housing and independent housing for individuals, couples and families to help people exit homelessness and rebuild their lives.
• Prevention Services Housing provision, tenancy sustainment, settlement services and housing advice and information services helping people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Treatment & Recovery Services Residential alcohol detox, recovery and aftercare services for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, including addiction support.
• Sure Steps Counselling Service One-to-one counselling and crisis suicide intervention service for clients experiencing homelessness, addressing addiction, depression, bereavement, self-harm and suicidal ideation.
• Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Unit Specialised unit providing hepatitis treatment, stabilisation services and health promotion groups with 24/7 nurse availability and daily GP visits for homeless clients.
• Step Up Step Down Facility 12-bed intermediate care facility providing short-term semi-acute healthcare interventions, treatment, investigations and observations for people who are homeless.
• Client Development Wellbeing, education and employability programmes providing structure, purpose, intellectual stimulation, self-esteem and independence to people using services.
• Community Employment Programme Employment support scheme helping homeless individuals gain work experience and employment opportunities through CE mainstream and homeless-specific schemes.
• Primary Care Nursing Team Healthcare services providing primary care nursing interventions for homeless individuals and families.
• Online Shop (including The GAFF Collection) Online retail platform selling limited-edition merchandise including the GAFF Collection, Christmas cards and other items, with 100% of profits going towards helping people move from emergency accommodation into their own home.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Safetynet Primary CarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2018Partnership with Safetynet Primary Care to deliver the Step Up Step Down (Intermediate Care) facility - a 12-bed homeless-specific medical residential treatment and recovery unit providing short-term semi-acute healthcare interventions for homeless individuals.
• MicrosoftcoreOthersCorporate donor providing daily donations of hot meals across Dublin Simon services, working through their catering partner KSG. This partnership helped save thousands of euro in costs that were redirected to frontline services.
• BWG FoodssupportingOthersFood for Simon programme donor providing food supplies to Dublin Simon Community frontline services.
• KepaksupportingOthersNational food partner for Food for Simon programme, donating food supplies to support Dublin Simon Community services.
• Coca Cola Bottlers IrelandsupportingOthersCorporate donor to Food for Simon programme, contributing to food supplies for homeless services.
• Conor MerrimansupportingOthersDublin-based artist who collaborated with Dublin Simon to create the GAFF Collection - a limited-edition, 100% cotton, ethically produced merchandise range.
• MasersupportingOthersDublin artist collaborated with Dublin Simon Community on the 'U Are Homeless, U Are Not Less' communications campaign, working alongside BBDO and Banjoman creative agencies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Focus Ireland: Ireland's largest national homelessness charity, providing prevention, emergency accommodation, housing, and tenancy support. Direct peer offering a similar full-continuum service model across Ireland and competing for the same donor, volunteer, and government funding pools.
• Peter McVerry Trust: Dublin-based homeless and housing charity providing emergency accommodation, transitional housing, and addiction services. Direct peer serving overlapping populations with similar service lines in the same Dublin market.
• Depaul Ireland: Irish homelessness charity operating low-threshold services, emergency accommodation, and tenancy sustainment. Comparable mission, target population, and operational model within the same Irish homelessness ecosystem.
• Simon Communities of Ireland: National federation of Simon Communities including Dublin Simon Community. Direct structural peer overseeing the wider network, comparable in scope and service mix, and sharing branding and policy advocacy.
• Threshold (National Housing Organisation): Ireland's national housing charity providing advice, advocacy, and tenancy support to people at risk of homelessness. Peer operating in the adjacent prevention and policy space within the same homelessness and housing ecosystem.
• Merchants Quay Ireland: Irish charity providing services to people affected by homelessness and addiction, including a residential detox facility and needle exchange. Direct peer on addiction recovery and homelessness in Ireland with overlapping clinical services.

Broad incumbents

• St Vincent de Paul (SVP): Large, established Irish charitable organization addressing poverty and homelessness through direct assistance, housing support, and visitation. Comparable in mission and donor base but operating at significantly broader scale across many social welfare issues.
• The Salvation Army Ireland: International charitable organization operating homeless shelters, addiction programmes, and social services in Ireland. Overlaps with Dublin Simon on emergency accommodation and addiction recovery but operates much more broadly.

Emerging players

• Crisis UK: UK national homelessness charity focused on housing, education, and employment pathways out of homelessness. Comparable service philosophy and target population but UK-based with policy advocacy emphasis rather than direct facility operation.

Regional players

• Crosscare: Dublin-based social care agency of the Dublin Archdiocese providing homelessness services, youth services, and food programmes. Comparable in geography and overlapping in homelessness service delivery within the same Dublin region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DublinSimonCommunity
• Facebookfacebook.com/DublinSimonCommunity
• LinkedInie.linkedin.com/company/dublin-simon-community
• Instagraminstagram.com/dublinsimoncommunity
• TikToktiktok.com/@dublinsimoncommunity
• Xx.com/Dublin_Simon

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dublin Simon Community