FOR THE FIRST time since he became Archbishop of Dublin 10 years ago, Diarmuid Martin has launched a food appeal to help struggling families.
The Dublin Diocesan-Crosscare food appeal will take place over the four weeks of Advent, beginning 1 December.
The Crosscare Food Bank has seen a significant growth in recently and, last week, it had requests for food from 120 individuals and families. The organisation was only in a position to give parcels to 40.
At the current rate, Crosscare will distribute 750 tonnes of food by the end of this year. The corresponding figure for 2012 was 500 tonnes.
“They need urgent help sourcing food supplies or more people could be turned away in the coming weeks,” Archbishop Martin said.
”None of us should be satisfied that we really see the poverty around us. We can so easily get caught up in our own concerns, placing them first, that we do not notice that our sight has become blurred towards poverty and suffering. The poor rarely clamour. They just try to survive. When they cry out, the ears of the mainstream may well be too distracted to hear them.”
He has asked all Dublin parishes to help collect pasta/rice, fruit juice, tea/coffee, soup, sugar, powdered milk, tinned meats and fish, packaged desserts, biscuits and hygiene products.
Parishioners will be able to bring food supplies to their local parish at weekend Mass times. Crosscare will collect and redistribute the food every Monday and Tuesday.
Crosscare provides food directly to those who need it, as well as to 10 charities working with marginalised communities.
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