Crosscare, the social support agency of the Archdiocese of Dublin, is asking for public support for its Food Poverty Service as hundreds of families are now seeking help to obtain basic food supplies in the run-up to Christmas.
Crosscare’s Food Poverty Service has met almost 800 families and individuals in the past year, including 1,000 children. To date, the demands of Christmas time are already putting extra pressure on people and families that have just about been able to cope this year.
Crosscare services are being are being availed of this Christmas by individuals and families who have never had need to seek charitable help in the past. Describing the increase in demand, Joy Walsh of Crosscare said, “We have seen hundreds of people coming to our services needing help who have never before had to turn to charities for support. For the first time in many years, we are seeing a rise in the number of working families coming to us as they struggle with ongoing increases in the cost of basic food supplies and energy bills.”
Ms Walsh said that in recent weeks, they were also getting an increase in the number of young people coming forward looking for help for their families through Crosscare Youth Services.
The Food Poverty Service helps families and individuals with emergency food supplies. Crucially, the service also looks at all of the factors that may have forced a person/family into food poverty, such as debt, increases in the cost of living, addiction or domestic abuse, and it offers access to support to help people move out of food poverty in the long term. Every family and person who comes to the service meet with a caseworker who helps them with their needs.
In its Christmas Appeal, Crosscare is asking for financial support to help reach those most in need at this challenging time. Donations can be made online at www.crosscare.ie/donate or by calling 01 8360011 or by cheque or postal order to Crosscare, 2 Saint Mary’s Place North, Dublin 1, D07 Y768.
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