Further €25,000 Crisis Response Grant to Irish Red Cross

Photo from right - Scott Hayes (Head of Relationship Management, Ecclesiastical Insurance), Helen Gray (Director, Benefact Trust), Olha Khoroshevska (Manager, Ukraine Community Centre Rathmines), Deirdre Garvey (Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross), Charlie Lamson (Head of Fundraising, IRC) and David Kinealy (Operations Manager – National Services, IRC)

Benefact Trust is the charitable owner of Ecclesiastical Ireland’s parent company, Benefact Group. The Trust continues to grow its contribution in Ireland to charitable causes year on year. This time, it is giving an additional grant to the Irish Red Cross, a year after an initial €25,000 grant towards their work supporting Ukrainians arriving in Ireland. 

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine rages on, millions of Ukrainian people are still in desperate need of help. With Ukrainians forced to flee their homes during the conflict, and thousands facing lasting trauma, this further funding will enable the Irish Red Cross to continue delivering support to those who have resettled in Ireland. 

With support such as the Crisis Response Grants, over the past year the Irish Red Cross has been able to fund the development of the Ukraine support centre in Dublin. The grant ensured the continued expansion of this infrastructure nationally to deliver psychosocial backing, as well as other support, led by the Ukraine community itself, including English language lessons, advice and employment opportunities and use of the computer hub.  

With the additional grant, the Irish Red Cross hopes to keep supporting Ukrainian refugees through the Rathmines Centre in Ireland, and support its objectives of: 

• Providing access to information and services that are useful and meaningful, including Ukrainian language School, legal advice, English classes, and mental health support
• Being a safe place to spend meaningful time with others doing an activity they enjoy
• Providing opportunities to volunteer and perform an act of kindness towards others
• Connecting with the Ukrainian community in Dublin.

David Lane Managing Director, Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland said: “At Ecclesiastical Insurance we are proud to be part of an organisation that gives all its available profits back to charity.  

We believe that together, we can make a difference and help those who need it most and it’s great to see Benefact Trust recognise the work that is being done by the Irish Red Cross in support of families and individuals impacted by the conflict in Ukraine and now living in Ireland.”  

David Kenealy, Operation Manager, Irish Red Cross said: “Thanks to the generous contribution from Benefact Trust, we will be able to keep supporting the Rathmines Community Centre, which serves as a welcoming haven for Ukrainians in Dublin. We offer a nurturing environment for social connection, education, physical wellness, mental health support, and access to valuable information. There is a huge positive impact on individuals participating in one of the 5 or 6 daily classes, and it resonates positively within their families and our community.”