Did you know that every year the Leinster Society organises a charity toy drive at our Christmas Lunch?
We are proud to partner with 7 different children's charities each year, and with thanks to our generous members this helps lighten the load for many families at what can be a difficult time of year. Each guest brings along a gift for a child, and with the help of Santa and his elves these gifts are distributed among our 7 charities; SVP, YPAR, Carr's Child & Family Services, The Santa Fund, Barnardos Millbrook, One Family, and Children's Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin.
Learn more about our children's charity partners;
SVP
According to SVP requests for assistance have increased on last year, this means that people who have never reached out for help are now looking for assistance with the basics – food, rent, electricity and heating.
They have also noticed that those in employment on low incomes are especially reaching out to them this year as they are finding the cost of living increases more difficult to manage.
With our gifts they can help make Christmas less of a struggle for families hoping to give their children what they wish for this year, whether it’s a toy or a voucher so the family can purchase what the child wants.
YPAR - Young People At Risk (North Inner City)
The YPAR Initiative (Dublin North Inner City) is an interagency network of statutory, voluntary and community projects and services, established in 2003, whose work is to meet the needs of young people at risk and vulnerable families in the area through action focused collaborative and co-ordinated approach, aimed at improving all aspects of the young people’s life. YPAR defines a young person at risk as a child/young person aged 0 to 25 years experiencing significant personal, family, educational or social problems.
At present there are over 1400 children living in Emergency Accommodation in the Dublin City Centre region alone. With funding YPAR can be proactive and provide an appropriate response to families living in, and leaving, homeless accommodation.
Throughout the last couple of years YPAR have provided large numbers of children with Christmas gifts and art & crafts / games for families.
Carr's Child and Family Services CLG
Carr's Child and Family Services CLG was established in 1887 with a vision that all children should live in safe, stable homes nurtured by their families and communities. They are a unique service on the island of Ireland because they provide three interlinked services: early years, assessment, and support. These services offer children from birth to five years the opportunity to live in the service with their parents. At the same time, they support parents with disabilities, mental health, homelessness and addiction in being the best parents they can be. The team that makes up Carr's is passionate, dedicated, and committed to their vision, and they work tirelessly to make these early years safe and nurturing for children. The Board of Management strongly focuses on accountability, transparency, integrity, effectiveness and leadership in ensuring good governance of the organisation. They partner with The Child and Family Agency and Pobal in making Ireland a better place for children.
The Santa Fund
'The toys your members provide are fantastic and bring joy to children who otherwise would never receive anything from Santa. Any contributor to the Santa Fund can sit down to their Christmas lunch certain in the knowledge that their contribution went to the people who require it.' - Sean Allen, The Santa Fund
The Santa Fund caters for people in dire need and does most of its work in the South Inner City. The people they cater for are in dire need despite the Social Welfare payments and the Christmas bonus. The families are carefully chosen with the assistance of people working in the local area.
There are no administrative costs whatsoever and accordingly any money / toys received by the Santa Fund goes directly to the families; the bags they use to pack are donated, the vans they use to transport goods are provided on a voluntary basis, and the people who pack do so on a voluntary basis
Barnardos Millbrook
Barnardos Millbrook provides preschool and family support services to families. They are a referral-based service, and receive most of their referrals from Tusla, the HSE, mental health services, homeless services and Education & Welfare services.
They are one of 4 Barnardos services in the Tallaght area, each with a different remit around the services and support they offer in the community.
They support parents through parenting work in the family home, practical support and crisis intervention. They work directly with children to support their development and to support improved emotional wellbeing and overall development.
The donations they receive at Christmas are used to directly support and supplement parent’s own efforts to provide for their families. The donations they receive are given directly to parents and help ensure children will have a present to open or warm new clothes to wear on Christmas morning.
They recognise that parents are doing their best, and their aim is to support those efforts to bring extra cheer and comfort to children and families that are often struggling with the cost of living.
Children's Health Foundation
Children's Health Foundation raises vital funds to support sick children and their families in Children's Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres in Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly.
One Family
One Family believes in an Ireland where every family is cherished equally, and is enabled to enjoy the social, financial and legal equality to create their own positive futures.
One Family is working to ensure a positive and equal future for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and parenting around separation – changing attitudes, policies, services and lives. They are committed to achieving equality and respect for all families. While acknowledging that every family is unique, they will endeavour to bring about better lives for these parents and children.
In addition to striving for fundamental attitudinal and structural change in our society, their services offer support in a family-centred way to individual families through times of change and difficulty, as well as supporting those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.
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