Pictured at the Antrim Food Bank Gillian McCaughtry, Head of Customer Experience with Fionnuala O’Donnell, Antrim Food Bank Manager. 

17th December 2021

Christmas is the season of giving and in lieu of staff Christmas celebrations, Energia Group is donating a total of €32,000 to help foodbanks in Antrim, Belfast, Omagh and Dublin over the festive season. Food banks provide essential food support for families and people who are in need all year round but Christmas is a particularly busy time. We supply energy to communities all over Ireland and so we believe that we have a role to play in supporting those that might be experiencing challenges in those communities. These challenges are often not limited to the holiday season however the Christmas period can be particularly difficult, especially with the added impact of COVID-19.

Dublin

Earlier this week Gary Ryan, Managing Director, Energia Customer Solutions visited the Crosscare community café on Portland Row, and commented; “We are delighted to donate a total of €32,000 to support the vital work done by Food Banks in Ireland including here at the Crosscare community café. This is one of the emergency food services operated by Crosscare in Dublin that is supporting families and people in need this Christmas. We have volunteered at food banks over the past few years and this year we are making a donation in lieu of staff Christmas celebrations so that we can provide support to those who need it most.”

Pictured at the Crosscare Community Café in Dublin is Gary Ryan, Managing Director, Energia Customer Solutions with Louise Lawless, Crosscare Community café Manager.

Louise Lawless, Manager of the Crosscare Community Café added; “Here at Crosscare we help thousands of families and individuals experiencing food poverty across Dublin through our community cafés and food banks. At our food services people receive a warm welcome and nutritious food. We would like to thank Energia Group for their support which will help to provide an additional 325 food parcels to people who need our help this festive season.”

Belfast

William Steele, Director, Power NI Customer Solutions met with Bruce Gardiner-Crehan, Manager of South Belfast Food Bank and commented; “The team in Power NI have volunteered at the South Belfast food bank for the past number of years and this year was no different. We helped to carry out a detailed stocktake at the foodbank so that food could be allocated to where it is needed most.  We are committed to making a positive impact in communities and so we are delighted to be making a donation to the food bank in lieu of staff Christmas celebrations.”

Pictured at the South Belfast Food Bank is William Steele, Director, Power NI Customer Solutions with Bruce Gardiner-Crehan, Manager of South Belfast Food Bank.

Bruce Gardiner-Crehan, South Belfast Food Bank said, “We are really grateful to the team in Power NI for coming to help out at our busy food bank. It really is all hands on deck at this time of year as we work tirelessly to prepare food parcels for hundreds of people in need over the festive period. With your donation we will be able to provide 400 people with a parcel of food. Each parcel contains enough food for 3 days meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can imagine how important these parcels are for people; hope; blessing; help and support. Thank you.”

As part of the broader Energia Group Christmas charity activity, Energia Group is also supporting the Black Santa appeals in both Belfast and Dublin in lieu of staff Christmas celebrations.

Pictured at the Reach Food Bank in Omagh is Ryan McCay, Head of Residential Customer Experience with Pastor Graham McElhinney from the Reach Food Bank.