Local Carlow and Laois Communities commended for keeping St Clare's Kitchen Open
The local residents were given heartfelt thanks by the kitchen
St Clare's Hospitality Kitchen extends heartfelt thanks to the residents of Carlow, Laois, and the surrounding counties for their incredible support following our urgent appeal. Your generosity has thrown St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen a lifeline, ensuring they can continue serving hot meals for the next six months.
Last month, it was announced that the kitchen faced closure within eight weeks due to increased demand and limited resources. Thanks to the community's generosity, they can continue serving hot dinners for the next six months. Fr John Dunphy, Director of St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen, stated, "This was the most important public appeal in almost ten years. The cost-of-living crisis and global events significantly increased the demand for our services, causing our costs to surge and nearly doubling the number of families needing food."
Since their inception, St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen has been a lifeline for many in the Carlow community, providing hot meals free of charge to those in need. Their service, funded almost entirely by fundraising and donations, helps those who are ‘food poor’—individuals who can pay their rent, mortgage, and utility bills but must cut back on food to do so.
The recent surge in support has been extraordinary, and they are immensely grateful. However, as Fr Dunphy reminds us, "We need to keep this going. The challenges we face are ongoing. The rising cost of living and increased demand for our services mean that we must remain vigilant and proactive. St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen is also making every effort to reduce costs while maintaining our high standards of meals provided.”
As of today, their iDonate fundraiser stands at €10,120 – nearly halfway to their target of €25,000. They have also been overwhelmed by the generosity of people arriving at St Clare’s with donations, pledging to fundraise, and signing up for monthly direct debits. Every single euro has made an enormous difference to their work and is greatly appreciated.
Founding member Isobel Brooker emphasised their mission: "We know we are making a positive difference in our community and want to continue to do good work. I never go to bed hungry, and I think it’s important to tell people that some people in Carlow are going to bed hungry, and we must never forget that."
To donate, bank details for St Clare’s Hospitality Food Kitchen Ltd are BIC BOFIIE2D and IBAN IE65 BOFI 9065 3169 3735 69.