A Helping Hand encouraging community to support food drive

A LOCAL group which provides food hampers to people in need has seen a significant drop in donations of food for this Christmas and they are encouraging people to donate to their food drive.

The Killinarden-based A Helping Hand will have a double-decker bus parked in the top floor car-park of The Square on December 9 and December 16, where people can leave donations.

Katrina O’Hara, who runs A Helping Hand alongside Cllr Dermot Richardson, said the group has less donated items than usual for this time of year, but demand for help has soared.

“Donations-wise, it’s been very slow,” she told The Echo.

“This time last year, we would’ve had toys, meat, clothing and non-perishable food, but there’s not been that much given this year.

“Usually, by this time of the year, we’d have a couple hundred tubs of Celebrations, but we’ve had none so far this year.

“People who helped us in previous years haven’t been able to help us this year.

“They would’ve donated food to our Christmas appeal, but they can’t do it now because the cost-of-living has gone crazy.”

While people who normally donate have taken a step back due to spiralling costs, A Helping Hand continues to get a high number of people contacting them who are struggling to put food on the table and can’t afford to decorate their homes this year.

“There are so many people out there without trees and decorations,” said Ms O’Hara.

“They just don’t have the money for it.

“They have to choose between eating that day or putting on their heating or electricity – it’s shocking.”

Cllr Richardson added that the group is bracing itself as this year looks set to be their busiest Christmas yet, with high demand that shows no sign of slowing down.

“We couldn’t run this every year without the support of the community,” said Cllr Richardson, who is an independent councillor who represents Tallaght South.

“It’s getting worse, and I know we say that every year, but it’s going up year-on-year and we’re getting people from all walks of life.

“We keep doing it because there is a need for it, and the volunteers want to help. There is a lot of goodwill out there.”

A Helping Hand is hoping this goodwill can extend to their Christmas appeal, where new items such as hats, gloves, scarves, toys and gifts, and tinned foods, sweets and supermarket vouchers will be accepted.

For more information and to donate, items can be left in the bus in The Square, or you can contact A Helping Hand directly on their Facebook page A Helping Hand Dublin/Good Morning Tallaght. 

Donations and requests for assistance can also be made by contacting Katrina O’Hara on 087 433 5504, or Cllr Dermot Richardson on 087 203 6468.