Trócaire has launched an urgent appeal for people to return donations from their Trócaire boxes online or over the phone.
The charity said a 60 per cent decrease in donations to its Lenten appeal has put many of its “life-saving programmes at risk”.
Its biggest fundraising campaign has been “severely affected” by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many supporters unable to return their Trócaire boxes due to ongoing restrictions.
Trócaire’s Lenten appeal raises approximately €8 million each year, with two-thirds of this coming from boxes distributed through schools and parishes.
Due to travel and social restrictions, including the closure of schools and parishes, means “most boxes have not been returned this year”, Trócaire said.
The charity said unless donations from the boxes are returned it is facing “a massive funding crisis that will impact directly on the three million people who rely on its work overseas”.
Coronavirus response
Caoimhe de Barra, chief executive of Trócaire, said thousands of boxes are sitting in homes across Ireland.
“Unless these generous donations are returned, we won’t be able to provide life-saving support to some of the poorest people in the world,” she said.
Trócaire is currently responding to Covid-19 by providing soap, water and hand-washing stations, supporting quarantine facilities and funding expert medical care in affected countries where the charity provides support.
“The funding crisis comes at a time when we are working to reduce the spread of coronavirus in all 20 countries where we provide support,” Ms de Barra added.
"People in countries like Somalia and South Sudan are incredibly vulnerable to this virus, while lockdowns and travel restrictions have plunged millions more into extreme poverty.
“The contents of each and every Trócaire box, no matter how small, come together to make a significant difference to the lives of the people we help.”
How to return your Trócaire box donation
Count or estimate what is in your box and donate in one of the following ways:
Online at trocaire.org
Over the phone at 1850 408 408 (ROI) or 0800 912 1200 (NI)
By post to Trócaire, Freepost, Maynooth, Co. Kildare (ROI) or Trócaire, King Street, Belfast (NI)
Check with your local parish if it is possible to arrange a safe drop-off.
