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Stand with Ukraine

About Us

Helping Irish Hosts (HIH) was formed by a group of hosts, working together with displaced and Irish-based Ukrainians, to get people into Irish homes – quickly – to give them a soft landing, while avoiding Direct Provision and long term government accommodation stays.  

 

We arose in direct response to the Ukraine crisis in February 2022, with a mission to empower and support individuals and communities in Ireland to host displaced Ukrainians in their homes, safely and sustainably. Two years on, hosts continue to step up, offering shelter, safety and a pathway to integration. Our mission now is to make hosting sustainable and to recognise the important role it plays in Ireland’s refugee accommodation response. 

 

We've grown quickly from our grassroots beginnings and now have a highly motivated team of over 25 purpose-driven people - paid staff and volunteers - working on matching, supporting hosts and guests, community engagement, and growing our operations. We’ve matched over 2,500 Ukrainians in more than a thousand host homes across Ireland, created a vibrant, trusted support network and presented a strong voice in advocacy for hosts at all levels. Our range of supports and resources are open to all hosts and guests, however their match came about. 

 

HIH has proven its impact, commitment and solution-driven approach in developing Europe’s largest and most sustainable Hosting Programme and in advocating for its extension to programme refugees.

 

In April 2023, we joined a consortium of partners responsible for the activation of public accommodation pledges on behalf of the State (DCEDIY), along with IOM, the Peter McVerry Trust and lead consortium partner, The Irish Red Cross. 

 

We are registered as a not for profit Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG). We are not a charity. We were seed funded by The One Foundation, The Sunflower Foundation, The Community Foundation, The Shapiro Foundation and Choose Love

 

Our ongoing work is facilitated through a Service Level Agreement with The Irish Red Cross, who are funded and mandated by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to lead the consortium partnership.

 

Our audited accounts are available here (2023) and here (2024).

Vision

A transformative model of refugee welcome, where ordinary individuals are empowered to actively contribute in response to humanitarian crises, person to person, progressing together towards a brighter future.

Mission

To facilitate hosting as a safe and sustainable accommodation option and a pathway to integration for refugees and asylum seekers.

 

To make hosting sustainable. 

Values

We are...

  • Real 

  • Resourceful

  • Respectful

Meet the Team

Work with Us

Our Impact

2,432

displaced Ukrainians placed in 1,097 host homes

95%

of hosts say they’ve had a positive experience

€386m

annual savings to the State (Oct 22 - Oct 23)

1,271

hosts supported by our Host Support team

1,000+

attendees at our nationwide Host Roadshow series

Funded by

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Working in Partnership with

Supported By

Clerkin Lynch Screenshot 2023-02-22 15.5

We are supported in other ways by a wide variety of individual, corporate and state partners, the Ukraine Civil Society Forum and hundreds of Hosts, Guests and Volunteers
to whom we are eternally grateful  💙 💛

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