Resource Centre to provide food to over 300 families this Christmas

By Rebekah O'Reilly

The Athlone Family Resource Centre (FRC) has launched a major food appeal as demand for support among local families surges in the lead-up to Christmas.

Staff and volunteers at the centre say they expect to provide food hampers to over 300 families this year.

Volunteer Leah Quinn, who has been working closely with the FRC team, said the pressures facing families this winter are severe.

“There are so many families in Athlone and the surrounding areas that are still in food poverty on a daily basis,” she said.

“Coming up to Christmas, the pressure is huge. Rising bills, rising food costs, people are stressed. Even reaching out to let them know they’re on the list for a hamper gives them some relief. You can see the impact on their mental health straight away.”

Leah and fellow volunteer Hillary O’Neill were previously involved in food appeals alongside the late Ken Smollen, but after his passing and increasing personal commitments, they began working with the Family Resource Centre to continue supporting families in need.

The Athlone centre provides year-round services including counselling, play therapy, supports for single parents, mental health referrals, and crisis assistance. Food support is a constant but often unseen part of this work.

“The Family Resource Centre does food drops all year round, but it’s never really broadcast,” she said.

The current food appeal focuses on donations of non-perishable items such as pasta, rice, tinned goods, cereals, biscuits and soups. Monetary donations are being used to provide families with meat vouchers, with generous donations coming from local businesses and individuals.

“Without the local companies and small businesses that have donated, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” Leah said.

“The public have also been incredible, people dropping off small bags of food whenever they can.”

The centre is also running a toy appeal, with new and pre-loved toys being distributed to families to ensure children across Athlone wake up to something on Christmas morning.

Leah said reaching people without social media access remains a challenge, but the team hopes to ensure no one is overlooked.

Donations will be accepted until Saturday, December 20, with the centre expecting more families to reach out in the final days before Christmas.

Leah expressed her gratitude for the efforts of FRC manager Delores Crerar, the staff and the volunteers who have been packing hampers and coordinating donations.

“It’s a massive effort, and they’re doing incredible work,” she said.

Delores added: “There’s been unprecedented need this year. In 2023 we had given out less than 100 hampers, and last year that rose to about 180. This year, there has been a 40% increase in support requests. We worked with local schools, and organisations like TUSLA and Youth Works, for a targeted approach to identify those in real need.”

She extended her thanks to Alan Coffey from Athlone Community Development Association for providing a unit in the business development centre, where volunteers were able to store and pack the donations.

She added that the community is the real driver behind the food and toy appeal every year. “We’ve had such a huge outpouring of support. We really are so grateful to the community in Athlone, and the local businesses, the fundraising they do is phenomenal. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do.”