People struggling to buy food amid rising rents and energy bills, SVP says 

People 'were terrified of losing their home or apartment' this year, says SVP national president Rose McGowan. File Picture.

People struggling to afford food after paying "skyrocketing" rent and energy bills is a central reason why the Society of St Vincent de Paul is looking at its highest ever number of calls this year.

Launching the annual SVP Christmas Appeal, the organisation's national president Rose McGowan said that the number of calls fielded by staff this year could reach almost 200,000.

Christmas is meant to be a time of togetherness and hope. But for many families, it will be filled with worry. This winter, families around the country will face impossible choices. You can help. https://t.co/PdhvQgZpHs pic.twitter.com/E4C0Tc9HoA

— SVP - Ireland (@SVP_Ireland) November 22, 2021

Ms McGowan said this "frightening" increase was driven by rising numbers of contacts in all SVP offices, and particularly in the large urban areas.

"A huge big ask this year was people trying to pay their rent because they were terrified of losing their home or apartment," said Ms McGowan. 

I find they try to pay that first, then they're faced with energy bills that are skyrocketing. It's just so hard to keep up on all of the bills and what we see then is people ring in and are looking for food.

"When you think of 2021, that people are ringing and looking for food, it says something about our country and community that really upsets me. It's hard to go to SVP, and hard to look for something like food."

Ms McGowan said there had also been a pandemic impact, even with the presence of Government payments such as the wage subsidy scheme and the PUP.

This included children missing school at the start of the year, and thereby missing out on breakfast clubs and eating more food at home, placing additional pressure on household bills. 

She said some of those contacting SVP for the first time this year were often working, but had taken big pay cuts, especially those in lower-paid work. 

"In the first round of Covid, they were using their savings, but that has all gone now," she said.

Ms McGowan said SVP's work is often a case of listening to those making the calls, many of whom were extremely stressed.

"It is hard to come to SVP," she said. "People won't ring just for the sake of ringing, they are just at the end of their tether. 

People are saying: 'I'm not sleeping at night' — it's the stress, and they are trying to put a good face on it for their children."

The theme of this year's appeal is ‘Impossible Choices’, and if the calls do approach 200,000, it will be the highest number of calls ever fielded in a year by SVP.

Ms McGowan said: "We are appealing for donations to be made locally, online, or over the phone that will help people through this winter and into the new year."