There has been a call for support for the work of St. Vincent de Paul across Cork and Kerry, as demand for assistance remains at unprecedented levels.
This comes at the launch of the SVP Southwest 2026 Car Draw fundraising campaign, at a time when increasing numbers of individuals and families are turning to SVP for help with everyday essentials including food, electricity, gas and education-related costs.
In 2025, SVP received more than 18,600 requests for assistance from people across Cork and Kerry. More than 1,100 SVP members and volunteers responded to over 8,000 of these requests, representing a 20% increase on the previous year.
SVP Southwest spent €5.8 million on direct assistance to households throughout the region, including €4.19 million on food, fuel and education supports. This included the distribution of more than 12,000 food hampers and 10,600 food vouchers.
