At the launch of the annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas appeal were, left to right, John Caulfield, Area Vice President, St Vincent de Paul Society; Dean Trevor Lester, Christ Church Cathedral; the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Dr William Lee; the Mayor of Waterford, Councillor John Halligan.
Requests for assistance from the St Vincent de Paul have risen by 35% in the last 12 months, with particular increases in pleas for food to feed children, to get ESB reconnected or for enough coal to have heat in at least one room.
Especially noticeable, according to John Caulfield, Vice President of the Society’s Waterford Area Council, is the volume of requests from those who, a year ago, were considered ‘well off’.
At the launch of the organisation’s annual appeal, Mr Caulfield said the St Vincent de Paul was continuing its work of assisting the people of Waterford with home visits, hospital visits, support for education and help for the homeless, adding that all requests were met with an open heart and mind.
See The Munster Express newspaper for full story.
