In a matter of weeks, fundraising at the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation has been devastated by Covid-19, closing the Foundation’s nine charity shops and cancelling most of its fundraising events, writes Trish Whelan.
The financial outlook is bleak, with Jack & Jill now facing a massive shortfall of €500,000 while the 340 children and families under its care continue to rely on the support of the charity now more than ever.
The children Jack & Jill looks after are very vulnerable; children from birth to five years of age with highly complex and life-threatening medical conditions being cared for at home. Children like Leo Johnston whose mum Joan says that within two or three days of being referred, our liaison nurse was in our home listening to us and telling us ‘We can help you. They have been the most supportive group of people. They have been lifesavers’.
Throughout this crisis, Jack & Jill’s specialist home nursing and end-of-life care continues, with many families still in receipt of home visits from their regular nurse or carer. For the remainder, who have been self-isolating for some time, the nursing team provides phone and video support to help parent carers keep their sick child safe and well cared for at home, where they belong.
With the help of Jack & Jill founder Jonathan Irwin, who himself is cocooning at home, the charity is urging the public to donate €4 by texting the words ‘We Care’ to 50300 or to give what they can through www.jackandjill.ie. Every €16 donated provides a family with 1 hour of home nursing support from the Jack & Jill team.
Commenting on the crisis, Jonathan Irwin said: “All of a sudden the rug has been pulled from underneath our fundraising feet, with everything cancelled because of Covid-19. One thing we’re not short of a Jack & Jill is resilience, spurred on by the families we support and their surrounding community. We need support from the community and we believe we will get it because people understand the lifeline that is Jack & Jill and our reach across the country. I would appeal to everyone who can to dig deep and help us out at this challenging time. Our service must and will prevail. Thank you.”
WECARE to 50300 text costs €4. Jack & Jill will receive a minimum of €3.60.
Note: The Jack & Jill Foundation was set up in 1997 by Jonathan Irwin and his wife, Mary Ann O’Brien (founder of Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates) based on their own experience caring for their son Jack at home until he passed away in December of 1997 aged 22 months.
