Remember me
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) has been providing support to families in need for 180 years – and is the largest, voluntary, charitable organisation in Ireland.
While the festive season is a joyful time for many, it can be a worrying time for struggling parents who wonder how they will provide a happy Christmas for their families.
That’s where SVP step in with the help of their incredible volunteers, who provide assistance to those in need every single day across Ireland.
However, these volunteers wouldn’t be able to help if it wasn’t for the public’s donations to SVP.
No matter how big or small, every single cent makes a difference.
The charity recently launched its Annual Appeal, with this year’s theme being ‘The Wonder of Christmas’.
This year’s theme reflects the questions SVP volunteers face most regularly in the run up to Christmas: “I wonder will I have enough for food and toys? I wonder do the kids know we are struggling? I wonder how it is affecting them? I wonder how we got into this situation? I wonder if we will ever get us out of it? I wonder if you can help?”
SVP’s national president Teresa Ryan said it has seen calls rise 7% in the year to October and the charity expects to receive 250,000 calls to its helpline seeking support overall this year.
“Where is the €10 (social welfare payment increase) going to go? If you see the shopping bills now, I remember a time when I could get shopping for a big family under €100. Now it’s €200. It’s phenomenal, the cost of living now,” she said.
“Despite the one-off payments made by the Government, there are many people who will continue to struggle to meet basic family expenses, particularly on special occasions such as Christmas.”
“Those hardest hit will include one parent-families, low-income workers; households on fixed social welfare incomes; low-income households in rural areas; people with disabilities and their carers,” she continued.
“That is why we are seeking donations to help families pay for food, heat their homes and ensure their children get a decent Christmas.”
There are so many ways to donate to SVP by post, phone, online, or in person.
You can also support by shopping in one of their local Vincent’s charity shops, located in every county around Ireland, or donating unwanted items to be sold by them.
The Vincent’s charity shops are a very important aspect of the service SVP provides, not only do they provide people with new and lightly worn items at affordable prices, they also provide an income source for the Society, which is recycled directly back into the community.
You can read more about their charity shops and where they are located here.
SVP is also encouraging schools, clubs, workplaces, families and friends to host their own Christmas Jumper Day to help raise funds for those in need in Ireland.
To get involved, follow the simple steps below:
Step 1: Pick a date to hold your Christmas Jumper Day
Step 2: Register with SVP online here to receive your fundraising pack
Step 3: Collect donations or set up a fundraising page here
Step 4: Advertise your event date and time
Step 5: Organise your Christmas jumper, if you don’t have a Christmas jumper, why not jazz up a plain jumper with some tinsel and lights?
The Christmas Jumper Day initiative has been backed by broadcaster and influencer Doireann Garrihy.
SVP is a charity close to Doireann’s heart, and her father Eugene is a longtime supporter and member of SVP.
The SVP Annual Appeal is the most important time for the Society to raise money to help those in need, and every cent raised could make a huge difference to families across Ireland.
Check out all the ways you can donate to SVP below:
Online: svp.ie/donate and nominate your local area
By phone: 0818 176 176 (ROI) or 028 9075 0161 (NI) and nominate your local area
By post: to SVP, PO Box 1234, Dublin 1, cheques made payable to ‘Society of St. Vincent de Paul’ or direct to a regional office, addresses can be found on www.svp.ie.
Blue envelopes: Keep an eye out for special blue envelopes in newspapers, churches and delivered to homes throughout the country.