Struggling parents turn to soup kitchens

Cash-strapped parents are turning to soup kitchens to feed their families, it was revealed today.

Dublin-based charity Crosscare said rising numbers of the recently unemployed were calling at its centres to pick up basic foodstuffs with their children.

Director Conor Hickey said the agency, which traditionally serves hot meals to the homeless and elderly, had not seen such demand since the darkest days of the 1980s recession.

“Increasingly we’re seeing people come to the door saying they just need bread or milk,” he said.

“These are people who are new to this area of poverty, people who were the main breadwinner and have now lost their jobs.”

Demand from families was highest in Crosscare’s Holles Row branch in Dublin city centre, Mr Hickey said.

“The recession is going to hurt a lot of people but it’s the people at the lowest end of the socio-economic scale that it’s hurting the most.”

Mr Hickey said the charity was relying on public donations to boost its coffers.

“Crosscare is determined that no-one who needs help will be turned away,” he said.

“But we’re getting static funding coming through. We’re not getting any Government increase so we’ve less money and more demand.”

Across the Liffey at the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin’s north inner city, Brother Kevin Crowley said demand for free meals and food parcels had doubled in the past year.

“We have seen a rise in families and I think it’s very worrying for people,” he said.

“We had a man who had lost his job and it was his first time to be out of work.

“He has a mortgage on his house and three or four children and he had to come to us for food.

“It’s very embarrassing for people, that’s one of the reasons why we don’t ask any questions because we know how difficult it is for them to have to come to a place like this.”

Brother Kevin said he did not think the problem was unique to the capital.

“It’s probably highlighted more in Dublin because of the cost of living, but I think it’s probably all over the country.”

Meanwhile, St Vincent de Paul said it had experienced a rise in demand of up to 27% in some branches this year.

“Most of the calls come from single parent families and families with young children who need help with food costs and energy bills,” a spokesman for the charity said.

“What’s happening in the economy has certainly contributed to that increase.”