PEOPLE in Donegal are being encouraged to support community initiatives helping those struggling with rising back to school costs as demand for help soars.
The Donegal Food Response Network, with the support of Donegal Local Development Company (DLDC), is calling on people to support their local community groups with donations of money, food, or school supplies to their local food banks in the run-up to the financially pressured back to school period.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Margaret Larkin, Community Development Manager at DLDC said with the running costs of home and living increasing now more than ever people need the help.
“There are some families that will have to sacrifice their groceries to send their children back to school,” she said.
“Donations are down but the need for them has increased.”
In recent months, demand has risen so much that community groups who usually have an emergency supply in stock are finding that they have no available supplies for local families in need.
The Donegal Food Response Network is made up of several community organisations throughout the county that open their doors to accept donations of food, vouchers, cash or gifts that will be distributed to those in need.
The back to school period is a time when many parents are worried about the financial repercussions of education.
Families facing mounting costs for schoolbooks, uniforms, stationery and school and college fees can struggle to meet the daily budget demands of family life, thus food insecurity increases at this time of year.
“We recently have been setting up iDonate pages to make donations more accessible. So far there are 17 of these pages set up throughout Donegal to help promote and raise awareness,” said Margaret Larkin.
To help alleviate this pressure on families, the network is asking people to donate what they can to their nearest food bank.
Those who can’t visit their local community groups to drop in donations of food and other supplies, but wish to donate, can do so through an iDonate fundraising page that is unique to the community organisation they wish to support.
For more information on how to donate please see the list of iDonate page details for registered community groups below.
• Donegal Family Resource Centre – https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/donegalfrcback2school
• Comharchumann Forbartha & Fostaíochta Árainn Mhór – https://www.idonate.ie/…/11445062_cffam-fundraising…
• Cloughaneely Mental Health Association/Cloughaneely Food Bank -https://www.idonate.ie/cloughaneelymhabacktoschool
• Cara House, Letterkenny – https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/carahouseback2school
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