Longford people urged to donate to Jack and Jill Home for Christmas appeal

Jack and Jill Children's Foundation is urging people across Longford to support it's Home for Christmas Appeal by purchasing from its Christmas Gift Collection or through once-off, or monthly, donations.

‘Home’ and ‘family’ are synonymous with Christmas, but for over 400 families in communities across the country, including 3 children in Co. Longford  being able to have their child at home for the festive season, with the help of their Jack and Jill nurse, is even more important.  The Foundation aims to raise €1 million this Christmas which will help to fund up to 55,000 hours of in-home nursing care for families across Ireland . There’s lots to choose from in the Jack and Jill Christmas Collection, including stunning ‘Find a Diamond’ candle and diffuser sets from Paul and William Costelloe, limited edition Tote bags designed by artist Miriam Smithers, Teachers Gift Cards, ‘Gift of Time Cards’ and exclusively designed Christmas cards from Kildare artist Laura Dempsey aka Pickled Pom Pom. 

Launching the charity’s Home for Christmas appeal, CEO Carmel Doyle said, “With more children under our care than ever before and an 8% year-on-year increase in our core service, public support is vital in helping us raise our €1 million target in this Christmas Appeal.  So far this year we have supported 559 children, with demand higher than ever for our service.  Therefore, we need all the help we can get, as we ask people across Co. Longford to donate local, support local and shop local through our wonderful Christmas Gift Collection. Every Christmas purchase and donation is a gift of time by funding and supporting home nursing care hours that make a real difference to local families. With only 25% of our €6.8M annual budget coming from the government, we rely on the kindness of the public, communities and businesses to support us.”

The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation currently provides vital in-home nursing care and respite support to over 400 families across Ireland who are caring for children, up to the age of six, with neurodevelopmental delay associated with a severe cognitive delay. This may include children with brain injury, genetic diagnosis, cerebral palsy, and undiagnosed conditions.  Another key part of the service is end-of-life care for all children up to the age of six, irrespective of diagnosis. There are families in communities across the country being cared for right now by the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, including 3 families in Longford. In fact, a total of 25 families have been supported by Jack and Jill in Longford since the charity’s foundation in 1997.

This Christmas, members of the public can give the gift of time to families cared for by Jack and Jill, with a Christmas donation or a gift purchase from a wide range of stunning gifts translating into in-home nursing care hours for local children and their families. People can shop the collection that is available now on the Foundation's website https://www.jackandjill.ie/.