Children’s charity Barnardos is appealing to the public for help this Christmas as demand for its services continues to rise.
A total of 35,649 children and adults received support from Barnardos in 2024, marking a 37 per cent jump from the previous year and the highest figure the organisation has ever recorded, reports Breaking News.
By December 7th, Barnardos is expected to surpass last year’s number of children and families directly relying on its support services.
Barnardos’ aim is to make sure that every vulnerable child in Ireland gets the assistance they require to cope with hardship, reports Breaking News.
Challenges such as domestic abuse, the ongoing cost of living pressures and homelessness are placing heavy strain on families already struggling.
Growing referral numbers, longer waiting lists and more complex needs are contributing to the rising demand across Barnardos’ 56 service centres nationwide, reports Breaking News.
Launching this year’s Christmas appeal, Mary Gamble, Barnardos Director of Fundraising, said: “Barnardos staff are seeing families with increasingly complex, overlapping needs such as the impact of long-term emergency housing, domestic violence, addiction and traumatic bereavement. Many are facing several of these issues at once and at the centre are children who urgently need our support. While the festive season is a joyful time for many, for families living with financial and social hardship, it brings real fear and worry,” reports Breaking News.
“As early as September, the parents we support are already asking how they will afford food, heating, and even the small gifts that make Christmas magical for their children. The support we provide goes far beyond meeting material needs; it offers dignity, reassurance and a sense of belonging that can shape a child’s life long after the holidays are over,” reports Breaking News.
Barnardos is urging members of the public to support its Christmas appeal and donate at www.barnardos.ie, reports Breaking News.
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