Cope needs extra €30m a year: A cry for help

Cope Foundation is one of those unsung hero organisations that offers support and opportunity to those desperately in need of them. It helps those who might not or are unable to, find those basics of life elsewhere.

The foundation enriches the lives of over 2,500 children or adults — and their families — who use one of 69 facilities in Cork. The organisation and others like it are an uncontested good. Despite that, it needs an extra €30m a year to meet the rapidly growing demand for its services.

This is almost a 50% increase in the €65m income Cope generated last year. One reason for this is that 400 children await assessment for autism. More than 1,350 children have been assessed and need specialist help. Some have waited years for this.

There are 174 adults on a residential waiting list and many do not have a permanent home. This increase is required because funding has not kept pace with need. Tragically, the most vulnerable pay the price of our refusal to assert social need through stronger tax policies.

One way or another, an organisation like Cope cannot be left so under-resourced that it cannot do its job.