Bringing you closer to the real-life stories of the people your donations help across Ireland.
Dropping off clothes – lifting up spirits
If you’ve ever wondered how big a difference a small gesture can make – look no further than the Saint Vincent de Paul charity shop in Ballincollig.
Inside this wonderful shop, volunteers are on hand to organise, price and sell the clothes and items donated by kind people like you.
Shop manager Madeline says:
“People are increasingly aware of the upsides of shopping in a charity shop, especially facing the cost of living. People are really, really depending on the charity shop big time.”
But that’s not all they’re depending on. Thanks to your kindness – when it comes to SVP, there’s always more than meets the eye.
Please open to read more of Madeline’s lovely stories from inside the shop.
Ballincollig SVP Charity Shop
Left to Right: Ann, Madeline & Claire
Your kindness is a helping hand
Inside Ballincollig’s SVP charity shop
Shop Manager Madeline says everyone who makes the Ballincollig charity shop possible –especially wonderful people like you who generously donate lovely clothes – are “the best in the world.”
She sees firsthand how much of a difference it makes for people of all ages to buy affordable clothes, especially when times are difficult.
She recalls one special moment:
“We had one mother of the bride come in. She couldn’t spend a lot of money, and she found her dress in the shop. And she got her shoes, her hat, the whole thing. It all came to 35 euro. She was delighted!”
There’s something in the shop for everyone. Madeline says:
“We even have an emergency assistance book, so if someone came in and said they had no money, we can still help them.”
But it’s not only the good deals that bring people in.
“Sometimes people might come in every day to buy one small thing, so maybe they’re coming for the chat as much as anything,” Madeline says.
Vincent’s Wish List
• Good quality, clean clothes and shoes –all sizes
•Warm winter coats
•Gloves, scarves, hats
• Children’s toys, books, art supplies and school supplies
•Books
“People can be lonely. We have one 92-year-old who comes in, and one young mother. The other day after chatting to us for a while, she said, Do you know what, I feel much better after that. People come away and they are happy.”
That’s the power of your support –thank you.
“People come away and they are happy.”
Could you help your neighbours by donating any of these essentials in time for winter?
•Homewares (kitchenware, ornaments, pictures)
• Soft furnishings (rugs, bed linen, curtains)
Please visit your local SVP store to drop off your donation – thank you! You can find your nearest shop at www.svp.ie/what-we-do/shops/
A story that won’t be forgotten
Legacy gifts are incredibly powerful – just ask the people whose lives have been changed by them. Today we are delighted to share one incredible personal story of compassion and generosity with you.
Sean and Ann had a strong and beautiful bond. They worked hard together, running a furniture shop and raising their children. Through everything, they were always charity minded - just like you. So when it came to considering their Will, they were very much focused on how they could help others.
The couple had ten children, but one daughter, Anne Marie, died as a baby. Sean and Ann decided to divide their Will by 10, and donate her inheritance to charity in her honour – with half to help people overseas and the other half to help people at home through SVP.
Their children describe how their parents always had a strong mentality of giving away whatever money they could afford to give away.
“They would have always been charitable. They shared a strong sense of injustice that some people had huge amounts of money and other people had nothing, and they wanted to help as much as possible.”
And that is exactly what they have done. The couple’s extraordinary gift to SVP will help so many people across Ireland to live with dignity. They have made an incredible difference.
We are so grateful to Sean and Ann for their extraordinary generosity, and to their family for sharing their story. It is a wonderful way for Sean, Anne, and AnnMarie’s legacies to live on.
What will your life story say?
If SVP holds a special place in your heart, would you consider making a gift in your Will? It’s just another lovely way that your kindness can carry on helping others – even after you’re gone. And remember, any gift of any kind or size is hugely appreciated. And it’s tax-free!
To learn more, please tick the “YES” box on your reply form, enclosed, or contact our team at fundraising@svp.ie or call 01 884 8226. Thank you.
Back to school, back to support
You can help more families manage the panic of rising school costs.
Thanks to your kindness, they can each get the vital, precious support they need to stay afloat. Thank you.
You help mams like Niamh feel less anxious
“I was panicking about the cost of getting the children back to school. We are both working full time, we pay all of our bills and our mortgage and I have been selling family heirlooms to get some extra money. It seems so hard that we cannot survive on what we earn. The anxiety when I lay in bed at night worrying how we would pay for what we need. But your help relieved some of that burden. Thank you.”
– Niamh, Newry
Your extraordinary care can help more families get the help they need.
You
help people like Mary manage unexpected costs
“This year has been incredibly difficult with school expenses along with household fees and utilities going up. I received a request from the school for stationery and IT expenses for my daughter at €250 and I couldn’t afford to make this payment. I work but it’s not enough. Thank you for helping –I don’t know what I would have done.”
– Mary, Limerick
You
help mothers like Gemma fill their children’s needs
“I am in arrears with rent and have missed this week. I am trying my best to pay it off but as a single parent with two children every week seems to get harder. My biggest worry was that my daughter has a foot condition and needed new shoes. There was a hole in the sole of her old ones. I just couldn’t afford them. You made it possible, and I can’t thank you enough.”
– Gemma, Dublin
Hope can help everyone
SVP volunteers visit prisoners and lift spirits in Midlands Prison
“My name is Anne and I’m a manager of the Visitors Centre here in Portlaoise. I’ve been here for 23 years.
Having a loved one in prison can be incredibly stressful for families and especially children. The Visitors Centre welcomes families and provides free tea, coffee and snacks before and after a visit. We have families who travel from as far afield as counties Kerry and Derry . We help people know what to expect and check in on them after. It’s their space to recharge and relax.
We also offer a fully equipped play area, staffed by qualified childcare workers. Children can also play with arts and crafts. That way parents can have a few moments to themselves.
Saint Vincent de Paul also have wonderful volunteers from The Guild of St Phillip Conference here who visit inmates who might not have anyone else. We don’t offer handouts or donations. It’s simply a befriending service. And it takes no funding from SVP – it’s just volunteers who want to help.
When prisoners have a visitor, their name is called out on the landing. It’s a big thing.
Some people haven’t heard their name said in years, or ever.
You may hear people say prisoners deserve anything they get. But it can be really tough to be confined for a year, 25 years, for life.
A lot of the people in here – it was one crime, they did something very stupid and have to live with it forever. They never thought they’d be here. Many had never been in trouble with the law before. But a fight or an accident can happen.
Play area for children, Visitors Centre Portlaoise
Their lives are destroyed. Families disown them. Nobody cares for them as far as they can see.
It’s easier to give up on people and close the door. But some haven’t been spoken to with kindness for their whole life. So this SVP service gives them a bit more faith in humanity.
You can see how there’s a positive impact on people.
Some have started going back to school after 20 or more years. Prisoners who might be very depressed will shower and shave, make a big effort on a day when someone is coming. It’s a two-way thing too, you learn a lot from people and the lives they’ve had.
For people who have no one, little things like getting a Christmas card make a big difference. It’s a link to the outside. It gives some hope.
Whether it’s an SVP volunteer going for a chat, or a family getting the non-judgemental support they need to navigate visiting a loved one in prison, it comes down to dignity. You get to know people and build relationships. It does help.
Supporting all kinds of people to have a bit more light in their lives is just another way SVP makes a difference.”
Anne
Visitors Centre Manager, Midlands Prison
SAVE THE DATE
SATURDAY, SEPT 28TH , 3-5 PM
Ozanam House, 53 Mountjoy Square W, Dublin 1, D01 T6W6
You are warmly invited to a special donor day! Join us for afternoon tea at Ozanam House Resource Centre, where you’ll get to hear about our work and how your incredible support helps to lift people out of poverty. You will also get a behind-the-scenes tour, all while enjoying some light tea and refreshments and getting to chat with volunteers and staff.
Please RSVP to Ketan on 01 884 8270 or at fundraising@svp.ie.
You help more people to live with dignity. And your help is still needed.
The latest Minimal Essential Standard of Living (MESL) report, prepared by the Vincentian MESL Research Centre at the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, offers crucial insights into what individuals and households in Republic of Ireland need to live with dignity. Notable findings include:
From 2020 to 2024, there has been a cumulative cost of living increase of 16.8%.
Infant food costs have surged 27.3% since 2020.
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) remains a concern.
For urban single adults in full-time minimum wage employment, the income shortfall is €130 per week
Energy prices remain substantially higher than 2020 levels, with a 62.7% increase for urban households and 54.0% for rural households
This research, which you help to support, highlights the need for continued policy improvements to ensure a dignified standard of living for all.
Thank you for helping to drive progress and solutions.
To give, please use your reply envelope enclosed, or call SVP on: 0818 176 176 — Thank you!
Phone: 0818 176 176
Email: fundraising@svp.ie Website: www.svp.ie
All stories based on real families helped by SVP. Images, names and some details have been changed for confidentiality. Thank you for understanding.
National Office SVP House, 91-92 Sean MacDermott St., Dublin 1, D01 WV38