By Louise Doyle
LETTERKENNY’s foodbank has made an urgent appeal for donations amid a 40 per cent rise in contact.
The Market Square based community voluntary organisation was set up more than a decade ago in August 2014 to meet the then emerging social needs of families and individuals across Donegal.
The demand for the service has not quelled, and in fact has risen since its inception. More recently, the housing crisis, the cost of living crisis and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees has seen demand soar.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Fintan McGrath, public relations officer, We Care Letterkenny Foodbank, said January and February to date
have been “very quiet” in terms of donations.
“We’re making an appeal for food donations. Our donations in January and February have been very quiet following Christmas, but our numbers are
up 40 per cent compared to where we were a few years ago.”
Non-perishable food items urgently needed include tea bags, sugar, cereals, tinned fruit and vegetables, soup, pasta sauce, biscuits,
tinned fish, tinned ham, tinned steak and kidney pies, or any other non-perishable food or items.
<“Our numbers keeping going up. At Christmas, we gave out a lot of food and vouchers. We do our utmost at Christmas, but we now have to make this appeal as our resources are very low at the minute.”
Mr McGrath said between 80 to 100 families per week are being supported by the local foodbank.
“Working with both the Fund for the European Aid to the Most Deprived (Fead), Food Cloud and local supermarket sponsors we collect and
distribute food to approximately 80 to 100 families each week.
Since the pandemic the numbers using foodbank services has increased by almost 40% to the extent that we distributed approximately 4,500 food parcels to both families and individuals during 2024.
For this appeal anyone wishing to donate food can do so by bringing items to any one of our four drop off points at Letterkenny Community Centre, Simpsons near the hospital, So Lo on the Pearse Road or at the Foodbank itself located behind Greenes shoe store on Market Square, every Tuesday and Friday between 11am and 3pm.
“All of these outlets will be happy to receive food either purchased in house or brought from elsewhere. We can also arrange to collect any food donation by simply contacting us on our website www.wecarelkfoodbank.ie or call 087 1471325,” said Mr McGrath.
As well as food items, people can also donate cash. Mr McGrath said privacy to all those who need to use the foodbank is paramount.
“Funding comes from various initiatives organised by the volunteers such as bag packs, charitable functions and local food drives. On an annual basis, we operate with a cash donations budget of between €30,000 to €35,000.
“Our aim is to work in partnership with national and local agencies to assist those affected by food poverty and food deprivation while
maintaining each individual’s dignity, privacy and respect. The foodbank is a revenue approved registered charity that operates entirely with the help of volunteer members from the community.
system, church organisations, schools, hotels, various local charity groups, local government bodies and athletic clubs.
“On behalf of We Care Letterkenny Foodbank, I would like to express our sincere thanks to all those individual members of the public who donated food during the year, to all the shops, local government bodies, charities, sports groups, church organisations, primary/secondary
schools, local companies and multi-national corporates.”
We Care recently launched a new website – www.wecarelkfoodbank.ie – to improve the service, which has made it easier for the public.
Mr McGrath thanked Aiden Spence, Spence Digital, and Clive Wasson Photography who kindly gave their services free of charge to get the new
website published.
Phone contact 0871471325 or contact the foobbank on Facebook.
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