The Cara House team are on the move to a new premises in Letterkenny.
From today, the 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 new location will also have plenty of room for social distancing when adult group activities resume at a safe time.
“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 6 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 Cara House has reopened childcare, though with less children. They have had a small drop-in facility in the Lower Main Street and started 5 ‘Chat Groups’ in local cafés.
When Chef Aid Letterkenny ended, the team immediately resumed dinner deliveries to their clients and numbers have continued to increase.
Ms McCauley 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 2 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!”
“We will maintain contact with everyone through our Facebook page Cara House FRC, our email address info@carahouse.ie and our mobile 0861223029.
“In the meantime, stay safe, cheerful and well, remembering ‘This too shall pass!’ “
