Gorey rallies for families in need
GOREY Youth Needs have been busy playing the role of Santa’s elves this week and have been delivering gifts and essentials to individuals and families, as well as the homeless and residents at the Courtown Hotel for Christmas.
It began on Tuesday, when the team put out a social media appeal asking the ‘good people of Gorey who are the best’ to help out one particular family in need.
Almost instantly, people got in touch and in the end nearly 20 people came forward with donations like toys, clothes, toiletries, a television and even a €200 shopping voucher.
CEO of Gorey Youth Needs Mandi Tighe said she had full confidence that the people of Gorey would pull through for them.
‘Off the back of the appeal, there is now more than enough for that particular family, and so it has enabled us to help other families’.
GOREY YOUTH NEEDS has been busy this week playing the role of Santa’s elves and getting in to the spirit of things as they delivered gifts and essentials to individuals and families in need this Christmas all around north Wexford and beyond.
Tomorrow they will travel to Dublin to donate bag loads of clothing to some national homeless charities, but on a more local level they have played their part to help and support families within the community as well as residents at the Courtown Hotel.
On Tuesday, Gorey Youth Needs put out a social media appeal asking the ‘good people of Gorey who are the best’ to do exactly what it is they do best, and help out one particular family in need.
‘If anyone has anything suitable for a baby boy (16 months old), a four year old boy and a 12 year old boy we will make sure to pass on. Any help greatly appreciated,’ the post read.
Almost instantly, followers of Gorey Youth Needs got in touch asking how they could help and in the end nearly 20 people came forward with donations over the coming days.
To the surprise of all Gorey Youth Needs staff, the generous donors came back with toys, clothes, toiletries, a television and even a €200 shopping voucher.
CEO of Gorey Youth Needs Mandi Tighe said she had full confidence that the people of Gorey would pull through for them and that the request would be met with a phenomenal response.
‘The family in question, a social worker of ours mentioned that she thought they might be struggling. We don’t know who they are, but they are now well looked after for Christmas.
‘When the mother in this family heard about the donations, she was very emotional and couldn’t believe peoples’ generosity.
‘Some donations were really significant, but really the overall response was fantastic and this week has shown us that there is no end to peoples’ kindness here locally.
‘So many people have enabled this to happen, we at Gorey Youth Needs are simply just facilitating it with the giving and distribution of what we get in, but it shows that it’s working as people are responding’.
Mandi said that although the time of Christmas can but particular financial strain on families, Gorey Youth Needs accepts donations at the centre on Mary Ward lane all year round.
‘We need to remind ourselves that families are struggling and it’s not just at Christmas.
‘If we do these things for people, we’ll always keep it quiet, and maintain peoples’ dignity and confidentiality. So we would say that if families are struggling, reach out to us and we will do what we can. It’s really a no brainer for us to help these families’.
Off the back of the appeal, Mandi said that there is now more than enough for the one family in need, and so it has enabled Gorey Youth Needs to help other families.
‘With the donations we have gotten in, we are trying to match up the items to those who need them most and people have been leaving in donations all week.
‘Every day people have been contacting us asking us how they can help, it’s just fantastic, but this all comes down Gorey.
‘It’s a fantastic town and the people are brilliant as they do look out for each other, especially at this time of year. It’s a great little town,’ she said.
Last year Gorey Youth Needs were involved in a food appeal for families, but this year brought a surprise for all at Gorey Youth Needs.
Musician Don McGuinness of Play it Again Wexford and Wicklow came to Gorey Youth Needs to make a donation of musical instruments that he has recycled and repaired.
Mandi said that it was almost too generous, and so they decided to give a guitar to resident asylum seekers at the Courtown Hotel.
‘When we delivered the guitar, their faces were lighting up as they were so appreciative’.
Gorey Youth Needs would like to extend their thanks to all those who made donations and helped in any way with the appeal, and wish every family a Happy Christmas.