Urgent appeal launched to save service that is a lifeline for many Laois communities 

St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen, a lifeline for many in the Laois and Carlow communities, is urgently appealing for public support to continue its vital services.

Despite the generosity of local residents, businesses, and schools, the food kitchen’s cash reserves are only sufficient to operate for another eight weeks. CONTINUE READING BELOW PHOTO

Fr. John Dunphy (founder) St Clare's Hospitality Kitchen with Michelle Maddock-Conaghan (manager). 

“This is the most important public appeal in almost ten years in existence,” said a director of St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen, Fr John Dunphy. 

"The cost-of-living crisis and global events have significantly increased the demand for the food kitchen’s services. Costs have surged, while the number of families needing food has  doubled increasing the demand from 70 meals per day to 140. “People fall on tough times for many reasons; ours is never to judge. St. Clare’s Hospitality responds and does so because it’s the right thing to do,” continued Fr Dunphy. 

Located at The Waterfront, Mill Lane, Carlow, St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen will celebrate its tenth anniversary in May 2025. The service provides hot meals free of charge to those in need, relying almost entirely on fundraising and donations. A dedicated team of staff and volunteers serves lunch from 12:30 to 14:30, Monday to Friday. The service addresses those who are ‘food poor’—people who can pay their rent, mortgage and utility bills but must cut back on food to do so. From serving 30 food parcels per week in 2013, today St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen distributes an average of 65 food parcels weekly delivered by volunteers to those families in need in our local community. We serve a nutritious hot meal every weekday, each meal providing nourishment to those who may otherwise go without. As the hospitality developed, so did the volunteers, inspired by Brother Kevin’s Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin. With the support of Bobby and Mary Quinn, a premises was secured, and St Clare’s Hospitality Food Kitchen opened its doors. 

“Carlow should be really proud. We survived until now on the goodwill and generosity of the public. We are here to assist families going through difficult times & whose who might other wise go to bed hungry or without  proper nourishment  in our local community, We can’t thank the community, local businesses, and schools enough, especially the youngsters who held so many fundraisers and donated food over the years,” said Fr Dunphy. 

"However, the service is now forced to plead with the public to keep its doors open and continue feeding those in need. “We have enough resources to stay open for another two months at least, but we have never been at this juncture before. We desperately need help to keep the service going,” Fr Dunphy added. 

“We know we are making a really positive difference in our community and want to continue to do good work. We think it’s important to tell people that some people in Carlow are going to bed hungry and we must never forget that. That is why we exist, to help families who are in that situation.” 

PRO Nora Meaney highlighted the critical need for support: “We are seeing an unprecedented level of demand for our services, and we urgently need the community's help to keep providing meals to those in need. Our expenses for food and energy have skyrocketed, making it extremely difficult to meet the increased demand. We need financial contributions to continue our mission. We welcome any fundraising efforts from local clubs or organisations and are ready to collaborate with anyone willing to support us.” MORE BELOW PHOTO

 The food kitchen is open to the public for weekday lunches, where there is a donation box for contributions. “It’s astonishing how much our costs have risen, and we urgently need the community’s assistance,” said Nora. No donation is too small and every contribution will be warmly accepted and very much appreciated. 

To donate, bank details for St Clare’s Hospitality Food Kitchen Ltd are BIC BOFIIE2D and IBAN IE65 BOFI 9065 3169 3735 69.
Online donations: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/thekitchen

Donations can also be left at the parish office in Graiguecullen, Carlow.