Brother Stephen Russell House
Brother Stephen Russell House is one of Limerick’s oldest homeless services, accommodating some of the city’s most marginalised men for almost four decades. It was established by the Alexian Brothers and taken over by Novas in 2005. The building was redeveloped during 2013/14 and now provides support and services to men and women. We were extremely fortunate to be supported by the JP McManus Foundation, which donated €1.75m to the redevelopment of the service. Accommodation is now provided in seven group homes, each with single en-suite bedrooms and shared communal space. The redevelopment has a disability group home, which caters for homeless people with sensory, intellectual and physical disabilities. In 2015, the service was awarded Best Homeless Project by the Irish Council for Social Housing.
Brother Russell House House residents have a complexity of issues. Many are elderly and require care around their diet, hygiene and mobility. It is a low-threshold service, operating a harm reduction policy.
Brother Russell offers residents a home for life and they are no longer considered homeless. Education and recreational activities, such as music and art classes, yoga and day trips are provided to residents through the generosity of volunteers and donations.
Brother Russell House also manages an ancillary accommodation services, St. Patrick’s Hill, which supports homeless people with mental health issues.If you would like further information on Brother Russell House, please contact the Project Manager, Eugene Toner, on 061 317180 or eugene.toner@novas.ie.
