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AS WE APPROACH the festive season, charities begin their Christmas appeal for what is often the most important fundraising period in their calendar.
It’s a time when people think a bit more about helping the less fortunate. In a year when most people are just hoping to be able to see their families for Christmas, and shopping is curtailed, that may be a more important theme.
Because of restrictions prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Christmas fundraising events have been cancelled, so charities have to ask for funding in a different way.
Here are some of the charities that have begun their Christmas appeals for donations. We will add to it in the run up to Christmas.
The annual Aware Christmas 5K was launched during the week, urging people to come together ‘virtually’ and take on a 5K challenge in support of mental health.
Aware has said it has seen a dramatic increase in demand for its services since March. The NGO’s services include a support line and support mail service, which operate 365 days a year. Aware also delivers a range of wellbeing programmes.
The charity is hoping that the Aware Christmas 5K will raise funds to ensure the organisation can continue to deliver its free support, education and information services.
The challenge runs from Fri 11 – Sun 13 December, and costs €25 to enter.
Participants can walk, run or jog the 5K distance close to home. Private companies are also encouraged to get involved.
Link: Aware.ie, Christmas 5K
During the week, 11-year-old Symone turned on the Christmas lights on Grafton Street, Henry Street, and Capel Street, among others.
This was part of an initiative with Dublin Town, to help promote local, independent businesses in the run up to Christmas, and raise money for Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
Here are ways you can donate toys or funds to the children’s hospital:
Link: TempleStreet.ie, or Temple Street Toy Appeal
The Cork and Kerry branch of the poverty and housing charity has said that over 200 people in Cork are making calls to them daily asking for assistance in the run-up to Christmas.
It said that the “staggering” number of calls to the regional office come as the charity says it’s facing unprecedented fundraising challenges this year because of Covid-19.
The charity has expressed concerns that up to 40% of its income from its core fundraising could be lost this year as a result of the pandemic, with their annual collections in mid-December set to be significantly reduced, if allowed to take place at all.
You can find a link to donate or volunteer here.
The main charity is also asking for donations or gifts in the run-up to Christmas.
Virtual gifts and food appeals have been launched on svp.ie/appeal to make it easier to donate virtual toys and food this Christmas.
Other ways to donate include:
The cancer community centre based in Bray offers support and services to people affected by cancer free of charge, and supports families affected by cancer all over Ireland.
In order to continue its helpline in the run up to Christmas, the charity has produced a book called ‘The Music of What Happens’ published by New Island books.
It features a wide range of stories and poems from many Irish writers including a previously unpublished story by the late author Emma Hannigan who passed away in 2018. Alongside the published authors, are stories written by cancer survivors and participants of the Purple House creative-writing class.
All proceeds from the book will go towards keeping the phone lines open in Purple House, funding food parcels for cancer patients as well as helping to keep the rest of their cancer support services going.
You can also donate directly, or buy Christmas cards.
Link: Purplehouse.ie
‘The Snug Project’ is a calendar and limited edition prints paying homage to the Irish pub snug, with the proceeds going to the charity ALONE, which supports older people to age at home, safely and securely, for as long as they wish.
It features photos by Finn Richards of pub snugs in Clare, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Galway, Sligo and Tipperary.
Snug locations include Garavan’s on William St, Galway (March); Mulligan’s on Poolbeg St, Dublin, and O’Flaherty’s in Dingle, Co Kerry (pictured above).
Link: TheSnugProject
The local Galway charity, which helps the homeless, victims of domestic abuse and senior supports, is doing the Christmas swim differently this year.
It’s asking anyone with a connection to Galway to register online, they will post out a t-shirt, and you can swim at your nearest beach, wherever you live, and post a photo on social media.
You can register or donate here: copegalway.ie
Kilkenny’s Cancer Support Centre, Cois Nore, has launched a new Christmas card for the festive season.
Designed by the world famous Kilkenny based Cartoon Saloon animation studio, the entire proceeds of the sales will go towards important support services for the centre.
The card, which depicts Kilkenny Castle and St John’s Bridge over the River Nore, was printed by Modern Printers, Kilkenny. A bundle of five cards for €6, or two bundles for €10.
Link: Coisnore.ie/online
In Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia, Concern is helping to protect vulnerable people against poverty, hunger, conflict, and now, the Covid-19 pandemic.
As parents in slum communities are losing their jobs to COVID-19, their children are at risk of losing their lives to hunger. The global crisis is pushing families deeper into extreme poverty. The situation is desperate. By this Christmas, up to 10 million more children could face devastating hunger.
Link: Concern
The children’s charity have a number of initiatives for people to donate this Christmas, including Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, a call out for companies to get involved, and a fucntion to donate directly.
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Do we know what percentage of money collected by Concern (and Goal) gets to the intended end beneficiary?
@Virus-free Turkey: do we know the staff costs
@bmul: Am thinking more of very highly paid executives, less of operational staff.
@Virus-free Turkey: look it up. Not difficult.
@Chin Feeyin: Figures not available.
@Virus-free Turkey: they are. You just have to look.
@Virus-free Turkey: In 2019, the Group’s CEO, Dominic MacSorley, was paid a salary of €107,000 and received a 9% contribution to a defined contribution pension scheme. He received no additional benefits in the current or prior year. The salary is decided by the Board of Concern based on the skills and responsibility required for the role.
@Virus-free Turkey: All figures are available its the law.
I always advise seeking out a totally voluntary charity who can’t afford the 650gs it costs to place a TV add. When you give money to top charities you’re simply lining the pockets of fat CEOs. Charity is big business.
@Margaret Doyle: not true. Lazy comment.
@Chin Feeyin:
And you branded Margaret Doyles post as lazy !!.
Any chance of enlightening us us a bit more?
@Chin Feeyin: I volunteer for a local charity helping those less fortunate than myself. I know exactly what donations are given to me and from whom. We do not accept cash but ask for food or sleeping bags, clothes and other essentials. Nobody in my group takes anything donated for ourselves, no matter how bad off we are. We do it because we can and don’t like to see anyone in desperation.
@Niamh Hand:
Respect to you and your fellow volunteers, it’s a wonderful sign of humanity in it’s purist form.
@Margaret Doyle: We are Communitycancercaregivers. Started this year first family next week we are on Facebook.
Can we have the details of what the various CEO’s are earning plus details of their other benefits like a car and pension payments please.
@Tim Quigley: look it up.
@Tim Quigley: You can have our Charity CEO pay. Zero no payments to any directors (4) we are new and hope to provide no cost childcare to families with a cancer diagnosis.
CommunityCancerCaregivers.
On Facebook
Always give to volunteering charities..
@Darren Byrne: Correct Darren.
@Darren Byrne: check us out please.
CommunityCancerCaregivers. Started this year providing childcare at no cost to families with a cancer diagnosis.
Allows them to attend appointments and treatment
certainly wont be donating to Barnardos.
@Elizabeth Feehan: just curious, why?? I just did 300,000 steps for November for Barnardos. Did I kill myself for nothing
The Sick and Indigent Roomkeepers Society is the oldest charity in the country. It is totally voluntary. They make a once off payment to someone in need to help with a bill, rent, etc. They meet once a week to view the applications for help. Only one part time staff maning the phone. They are the only charity that I gladly help.
Show me a organized charity and I will point out a ceo on 100 grand or more just saying what a friend told me
@Mick Scanlan: Our CEO earns nothing and we are fully regulated, none of our 4 directors do and never will we have included that clause in our constitution.
@Mick Scanlan: nonsense.
Well, the Snug Calendar is one of my hubby’s Christmas gifts sorted.
Light up a life Xmas Appeal for Our Ladys Hospice & Care Services. http://Www.lightupalife.ie
Support local & smaller charities that don’t have professional collection departments & executives
@Martin Sinnott: professional collection departments and executive-level employees prove to be effective in generating cash for charities. More than inexperienced volunteers could.
For a small country it seems we really have a savage amount of charities who are often duplications of each other. Surely mergers and acquisitions would be a good move, cutting out some of the top heavy hitting wages and thus freeing funds for frontline work and services?
@Daniel Dunne: Many Schools are charities, Most GAA clubs are clgs and operate as charities, then you have huge ones like St Vincent’s think the Bons are charitable too and are a registered.
There are a lot but as we found out there are room for more particularly in the area of childcare when a parent is sick and needs to attend appointments or treatment.
Some even do the job that the hse should do eg Pieta house….
@PaulOMahoney Irish,
Maybe you protest too much or you are naive and dont realise that some charities are more equal than others .
Fair play to you and your charity .
@Paul Mc: Certainly not niave, but the vast majority of charities are small to medium size that the majority of the work is carried out by volunteers and volunteer directors who use their life and professional skills to further the cause. But the mantra that directors are in it for themselves is nonsense, being a charity director is far more difficult a job than simply being a director of a regular company.
In our case getting our policies and procedures written and accepted by Tusla took 4 months, we waited another 4 months for the Charity Regulator to approve our application for a charity number, add in Revenue clearance, gdpr, and a host of other information and regulations that we had to comply with its not an easy job.
And these are continuous requirements, we are a new charity and the demands are huge on us all, so CEOs of larger charities are faced with greater responsibility and are have greater accountability to all its stakeholders including donors.
I may protest too much but its a simple response to ignorance on the work involved.
This year new charities are supporting those who face food poverty due to Covid. A charity initiated by St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Dublin Volunteer Center and Serve the City is taking collections at the Iveagh Trust Center, Elvedon House. If you feel that buying food, household items, toys and clothes for children is safer, look into “Together for Christmas” on Facebook or the Serve the City Dublin for info.
Can’t post our new charity for some reason?
@PaulOMahoney Irish: Can admin explain its fully regulated.
@PaulOMahoney Irish: We need to raise a few bob community cancer caregivers is our name.
If I’m doing something wrong please advise.
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