St Vincent de Paul launches appeal as cases rise by 50%

CALLS FOR help to the Society of St Vincent de Paul are up by 50 per cent this year in some areas, while online donations to the charity are down 30 per cent, its vice-president has said.

John Monaghan, speaking at the start of the society’s annual appeal, which runs until December 12th, said some of the people who would have contributed to the appeal had found their worlds “turned upside down” by the recession.

Outlining some of the cases of people who had come to the society in recent weeks, he said a family in the east contacted them and had €11 left at the start of the week. “They had no food in the house, were in arrears with electricity and gas bills and their washing machine had broken.”

Another woman in the west was so desperate she had gone into a shop and taken groceries to the till, knowing she had no money.

She said she had forgotten her purse, knowing the shop owner would say, “Come back tomorrow with the money.”

She later rang directory inquiries and asked the operator if there was anyone out there who could help her. The operator put her through to the society.

“It was with great relief she came to us. The whole situation was building up on top of her,” said Mr Monaghan. “We are talking about children waking up in dark, cold homes going to school with very little to eat, who come home to dark, cold homes and have very little to eat . . .”

Individuals are encouraged to support the SVP Give Hope annual appeal by donating money locally in 13 regional offices or online at www.svp.ie/appeal.