Priest to set up food centre to feed Carlow’s starving families as kids go to bed hungry
CARLOW CHILDREN are going to bed hungry, as their desperate parents face an almost daily struggle to put food on the table.
A local parish priest has been so moved by the plight of people calling to his door looking for food that he is now spearheading plans to establish Carlow’s first meal centre.
“A lot of people are coming to my door and saying they’re hungry. It’s a frightening situation. We are doing this so that people don’t have to go to bed hungry,” explained Fr John Dunphy, PP, Graiguecullen. “We are very conscious there is a need for this.”
Fr John Dunphy
The shocking reality facing families has also led to plans to hand out much-needed food parcels locally and, eventually, hot meals to children and their parents at the new meal centre.
Fr Dunphy, cllr Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and local woman Isobel Brooker have been working on plans for Carlow’s first meal centre for the past four months, in response to the growing problems faced by impoverished families.
In the coming weeks they will hand out food parcels containing basic items such as bread, milk, cheese, fruit, sugar, tea and more to families in need around the county.
It is hoped that the food parcels will be ready for distribution, one day a week, by early November. And in the months to come, a hot food kitchen will be opened to provide warm meals to distressed families.
“A lot of schools are doing great breakfast clubs but it’s when they go home … they need help,” added Fr Dunphy.
The trio visited the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin recently to help out and get some ideas for the Carlow operation.
“We worked in it twice and it was great to see how it operates. It gave us an insight into how it works,” added cllr Murnane O’Connor.
“We have all dealt with people locally who are finding it hard. After paying their bills, they are struggling. We just want to help.”
At present they are pricing suitable locations for the hot food centre, which they hope to open before Christmas. They are also keen to get volunteers and businesses on board to help out.
“There are families who are finding it very hard. Now is the time for this – there is such a need out there. We are there to help, not to judge,” added cllr Murnane O’Connor.
