Appeal for help after record number of calls to SVP
Nenagh charity needs volunteers as much as funds
The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Nenagh is actively recruiting new volunteers following the largest number of calls for help in its history.
Nenagh SVP President Harry Martin estimated that the local conference received over 700 calls in 2023. Half of these related to families looking for help at Christmas time.
Mr Martin said the number of calls for help represented an increase of about a third on the previous year. Expecting the number to rise again this year, he did not believe the Nenagh organisation ever had to deal with such a volume of appeals in a history that goes back to the 1930s.
But while the numbers seeking help are increasing, the numbers volunteering to give it are decreasing, sharply. Mr Martin said there are now less than 10 volunteers in his local conference, half the number involved just five years ago.
There are several reasons for this. The pandemic was a major setback. A number of long-serving SVP members also passed away and have not been replaced. The committee has found it increasingly difficult to get younger people involved, especially those trying to raise families and the many extra costs that entails.
Mr Martin also made the point that new requirements around the likes of Garda vetting and GDPR have presented further challenges to charities like SVP. But he said the Nenagh branch of the largest charitable organisation in the country is not looking for any more time than prospective volunteers are prepared to give.
“We're looking for people who have an hour to spare, or maybe a couple of hours a week,” the Nenagh SVP President said. “We don't want to put pressure on anyone. As someone said to me during the week, ‘how many hours a week do you have to do to volunteer?’ I said: ‘You don't have to do any hours per week; you just do the hours that you're available to do yourself’. We tell people that come in to the meetings to tell us when they are available themselves...
“If you ask somebody to do something, they may feel as if they're committing so much of their life to this, but they're not, actually. You have to give what you're able to give. If you want to go off for weekends, that's fine, or holidays, that's fine. Just keep in contact.”
A WIDE-RANGING SERVICE
The Nenagh St Vincent de Paul conference offers help to people in the town and its hinterland of Borrisokane, Burgess, Puckaun, Lorrha, Silvermines and Toomevara. Newport, Roscrea and Templemore have their own conferences, and Mr Martin said efforts are being made to establish one in Borrisokane as well, if enough volunteers can be found.
SVP helps people in all sorts of situations. Demand for its voluntary services has never been so great, and this is largely driven by the increased cost of living that has left many families struggling to put food on the table.
SVP tries to help with vouchers for local shops and supermarkets, but Mr Martin said it can prove difficult to get value for money. He remarked on an item he purchased in one local store last Christmas that cost €3. “Now it's €3.68; it's absolutely crazy,” he exclaimed.
“But it's hard to put it down to one thing. We help with education, we help with disabilities, we help with people with bad health, we help with people who are unfortunate in that they can have ups and downs with work. We help single mothers, we help old people, and we work with other agencies where we can.”
Most of the work that he and his fellow volunteers do is behind the scenes. High importance is placed on client confidentiality.
They have been very well supported by the community of Nenagh and its hinterland over the years, something Mr Martin and his colleagues remain eternally grateful for.
“There's no real solution to it,” he said of the many societal problems St Vincent de Paul faces. “All we're there to do is help people to the best of our ability using the funds that are given to us in this area by people who make donations. Whether they be big or small - it counts; everything counts.”
But the point he wanted to make is that SVP needs people to give of their time as well as their money. “We're very well supported; it's just to get volunteers,” he emphasised.
“We're thankful for everything we get. It's just to try and increase the numbers, and if you've a bigger committee, it's better as well because you're getting different input from different minds to help you solve problems better.”
A REWARDING EXPERIENCE
The local SVP conference held a meeting at Nenagh Pastoral Centre last week, from which Mr Martin hoped to see some new volunteers joining. He spoke of how rewarding it can be on a personal level to provide help to those in need of it. This is a reason why people volunteer with St Vincent de Paul.
“It's a privilege to be doing this type of work. You feel good after helping somebody,” Mr Martin reasoned.
“It's not a magic wand; we don't make all the problems go away, but we help people with their problems.”
Training is provided for those who join. There are online modules that can be completed in one's own time, as well as guidance provided by a member support officer from Limerick.
FURNITURE SHOP
The St Vincent de Paul service in Nenagh extends to Vincent's Shop on Mitchel St, which has its own manager and volunteers, and raises income for the charity through the sale of clothing, shoes and other items.
There is also the distribution centre out at the Five Alley, where clothing from clothes recycling bins is gathered.
SVP had another shop on Ormond St, where people could bring used furniture to be sold as a means of raising further funds for the charity in Nenagh. But this closed last year, resulting in a loss of income. Mr Martin said he would welcome any offers of premises in town that could be used to open a new furniture shop in, though he doubted any readily available property would be offered to a charity concern.
The Nenagh SVP President appealed for anyone interested in volunteering their time and skills to the charity to please contact 085 8720455. More information can be found on the svp.ie website.