Enterprise Rent-A-Car Partners with Dublin Simon for Annual ‘Winter Woollies Bag Run’

Published on 16th December 2019 at 11:59

A team of employees from Enterprise Rent-A-Car is taking part in the annual ‘Simon Winter Woollies Bag Run’ where, over 10 days, they will gather some 500 bags of winter woollies, care packages and food hampers for the homeless. 

The group of up to 20 employees will visit companies and organisations in the wider Dublin area to collect the donated items that are a huge help to the Simon Community teams working with the homeless and people in need over the Christmas period.

The Enterprise team, with its dedicated van, will rack up mileage of up to 150km per day as they aim to collect 50 bags each day for the Dublin Simon shops on Thomas Street and Camden Street.

Other Enterprise employees will participate by donating both brand-new and previously worn clothing including hats, gloves, scarves along with new socks and thermals. These items will be used for distribution by the Dublin Simon Community outreach team and to stock the Simon Shops.

The donations that Dublin Simon shops receive are extremely important as they provide clothing and other items to people accessing the Simon services, including individuals who are sleeping rough or usingthe charity’s emergency, supported housing or treatment services. 

Donated items are also utilised by clients who are preparing for interviews and work placements, with some items eventually going to those moving into a home of their own. Any remaining items are sold in the shops to raise vital funds.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which is part of the world’s largest car rental company, has been working with the charity since 2013 to provide manpower and vehicles for a range of activities including the delivery of the donated items at Christmas-time. 

“We are delighted to again be involved with Simon and the ‘Winter Woollies Bag Run’ because it is a campaign that benefits many at this special time of year”, said George O’Connor, Managing Director of Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ireland.

“Our team of employees look forward to the ‘Simon Winter Woollies Bag Run’ each year and we see it as a special way for us to ‘give something back’. A group of employees will also return to the Dublin Simon Community shops in January to assist with the sorting and organising of the bags and other donated items,” O’Connor said.

Emma Kilkenny, Head of Fundraising and Communications for the Dublin Simon Community stated: “We are hugely appreciative of the ongoing support of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car team and their vehicles which allow us to deliver much needed winter clothing and Christmas presents for our clients and residents over this busy period.  By volunteering their time and resources, the Enterprise team will help us distribute warm clothing, care packages, food hampers and other items to families and individuals we work with.

“Partnerships like this with Enterprise and, indeed, other companies, are hugely important in helping us to extend the range of services that we provide to people who are experiencing homelessness.  We thank Enterprise and their employees for their committed and valuable support during the busy Christmas period”.