We all know what an incredibly difficult time this is with the cost of living crisis causing such hardship for so many. Which is why your generosity and compassion is having such a powerful effect.
In November and December of last year, we received over 64,000 calls from people who couldn’t afford to heat their homes, or put food on their table –people like Caroline.
Caroline lost her husband ‘and soulmate’ to suicide and found herself swamped by bills with two very young girls to support.
“I feel like I’m drowning. I’m looking at my gas and electricity bills and I know I can’t pay them. I’ve no idea what to do and I’d really appreciate any help.”
“I feel like I’m drowning. I’m looking at my gas and electricity bills and I know I can’t pay them. I’ve no idea what to do and I’d really appreciate any help.”
– Caroline
– Caroline
You turn tears into hope
You turn tears into hope
Your support can give people, like Caroline, that little bit of help they need to get them through a difficult time. Brian lives alone, he has no family, he’s a wheelchair user and he wrote to us with such humility asking if we could help.
Your support can give people, like Caroline, that little bit of help they need to get them through a difficult time. Brian lives alone, he has no family, he’s a wheelchair user and he wrote to us with such humility asking if we could help.
“I have no income, and where I rent is severely damp. There’s no insulation and the boiler doesn’t work, and all my furniture has been damaged by black mould. Today, €132 will be taken from my account for the gas bill and I only have €100 in there. I don’t even have anything left for food.”
“I have no income, and where I rent is severely damp. There’s no insulation and the boiler doesn’t work, and all my furniture has been damaged by black mould. Today, €132 will be taken from my account for the gas bill and I only have €100 in there. I don’t even have anything left for food.”
Thoughts you shared with us
Thoughts you shared with us
Here are a few of the lovely messages you shared in our supporter survey.
Here are a few of the lovely messages you shared in our supporter survey.
Your kindness is changing lives
Your kindness is changing lives
We’re delighted Brian found the courage to ask for help – like so many that contact us in distress, it was the last thing he wanted to do. But because of your support, we were able to take some of his stress away by looking after some bills. And he was so grateful.
But it wasn’t really us he was thanking… it was you. Because you were there for Brian and Caroline, and so many others with similar stories – giving the help they desperately needed, when they needed it, quietly and without judgement.
We’re delighted Brian found the courage to ask for help – like so many that contact us in distress, it was the last thing he wanted to do. But because of your support, we were able to take some of his stress away by looking after some bills. And he was so grateful. But it wasn’t really us he was thanking… it was you. Because you were there for Brian and Caroline, and so many others with similar stories – giving the help they desperately needed, when they needed it, quietly and without judgement.
You see, SVP Stories often start with worry and hardship, but thanks to you, they so often end with kindness and hope. Thank you so much for being the strength behind our mission and for being at the heart of everything we do.
You see, SVP Stories often start with worry and hardship, but thanks to you, they so often end with kindness and hope. Thank you so much for being the strength behind our mission and for being at the heart of everything we do.
“I like that I can donate in memory of my parents. And I can do it
locally, where they also donated.”
“I like that I can donate in memory of my parents. And I can do it locally, where they also donated.”
Turning waste into care
Marie is the powerhouse behind an innovative SVP scheme in Galway, turning food waste into healthy meals.
“I hate food waste. I was in retail for a while and I used to see the delivery men taking food away with days to go before they were out of date. And I was shocked when they told me it all just got dumped.
So I contacted a couple of the major food producers, and we set up a system where the food they would have thrown away, was channeled to people who really needed it.
We get great support and we’re able to make up hampers with good quality products. And it helps us find people who are in need. It opens a door!
The volunteers who deliver can recognise situations of real hardship. So we can maybe go back to the person and say, look, this is totally anonymous, and if you could do with a little bit of extra help, we’re here for you.
It puts us in direct contact with people and families that we know are doing their best to get by on their own. It helps establish really important connections with those who are maybe too embarrassed to come and ask for help.”
“I like SVP’s compassion for those in need, and this aligns with my personal belief in empathy and kindness towards others.”
How you help take away the pain
Imagine being in such pain from a tooth abscess that you would do anything to make it go away. But having no money to buy pain medication or to go to the dentist – or even find relief in your sick bed with an electric blanket.
That was the situation Kirstie was in when our volunteers called to see her last year. She couldn’t even turn on the radiators or light the fire for a bit of comfort because she had no money to pay the bills or buy fuel.
Instead, she was in her back yard, burning sticks and old wood, just so she could heat a cup of water, to help relieve the agony. It sounds almost unbelievable, but this was the situation Kirstie was in.
We knew we had to do something to help and thanks to your amazing support we were able to make things a little bit better for Kirstie.
She has electricity now, and food in her cupboards. And her bad tooth has been seen to, so that awful pain has gone.
She has no family. She lives alone, but thanks to you she’s part of our community now and we call whenever we can. Things are better for her.
Kirstie is one more person whose life you have helped to change.
“Keep up the good work. There will probably always be people in need. It’s important to recognise that and to try and help others without asking for anything in return.”
Your kindness, tackling injustice
Louise works at a major University. She lives with her 12-year-old autistic child and not long ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
You can imagine how hard it is to cope with such difficult news but more was to follow. In the middle of her treatment, she was evicted from her home as the landlord wanted to secure a higher rent from a new tenant.
When the University heard about Louise’s situation they moved her into their student accommodation. But that was in the summer, and when the students came back in September, Louise was without a home again.
We were so upset by Louise’s circumstances, but your kindness meant we could make sure she wouldn’t go hungry. And the amazing people in her local SVP Conference went on a mission to contact anyone in a position to help.
They’re still working with them, and thanks to you, SVP will keep on helping Louise until she finds the security of her own home for her and her son.
Will you be an SVP Monthly Donor?
Monthly Donors
There are so many ways your donations are changing people’s lives. But did you know, you could help even more people by making a regular monthly gift?
It’s the most powerful way to support people in their greatest time of need.
And it’s so easy to do – just fill in the reply form that comes with this newsletter or go online to svp.ie.
Thank you for being such a vital part of the SVP community.
The Power of You
Last year we asked you to share your thoughts and experiences in your first ever SVP Supporter Survey. And your response was incredible, helping us understand who we are as a community, and where we need to go in the future.
50+ Generations of Support Support that Lasts Thank you
81%
A large majority of our wonderful SVP community are aged 50 or above, but we’re delighted to also get life-changing support from younger donors in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
YOUR STORIES
Nearly half of our amazing family of donors have been supporting our work for twenty years or more. Thank you so much for your committed support!
When we asked how you rated your donor experience with SVP, you gave us an average approval rating of 81%. Thank you!
You also shared some wonderful personal stories about your relationship with SVP. Here are just a few of your reflections.
“Growing up, we were very poor and very hungry. SVP were always there for us and I’ll be forever grateful for their help.”
“I
know people who were desperate and they contacted SVP. They told me ‘I thought I was alone. Now I know there are good people who care about me.”
“I remember one Christmas, my father had been very ill and there was no money coming in. SVP came with a food hamper for Christmas dinner.”
“As a victim of domestic violence I went from ‘middle class’ to wondering how I would pay the bills. SVP instrumentalwerein getting me back on my feet.”
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
