Make a difference this Christmas

CHRISTMAS is a busy time for the staff at St Vincent de Paul as people find themselves under increasing pressure. But other times of the year are equally as pressing and Tralee Area President of St Vincent de Paul, Junior Locke, chats to us about this busy time of year and how people can make donations at its stores in Castle Street and Friary Lane.

“We’re trying to get the message out there this year that when people donate clothes to our shops, those donations are converted back into money that goes towards helping people and these donations are important to what we do. We now have shops in Castle Street and Friary Lane and people can just pop in with any bric-a-brac or clothes. Even things like furniture is important and if people wish to donate such items they can give us a call and we’ll collect the furniture items.

“This is the busiest time of the year for us. We’ve found down through the years that things can seem fine for people and then suddenly the pressures of Christmas come on due to advertising and kids want the best of stuff and this adds to the pressure on parents. People are also getting caught out where fuel is concerned and the recent cold snap is really putting pressure on people. We’re pleased that at least a percentage of the Christmas bonus has come back to people, as this helps. But there’s also many people who are working that are struggling and when kids get sick medical bills add extra costs.

“Food is a big factor and we’ve seen people cut back on food and this is a huge eye-opener. People are proud but they must understand that it’s not a hand out, it’s a hand up. The majority of people that we help are back on their feet again within a week or two and the important things is to come to us early. If something is beyond our remit then we will revert them to other sources that will help them like the Credit Union, who now offer micro loans as we try to steer people away from money lenders.”