COVID-19 Hardship Fund to Assist Older People
Donation protected
Age Action and the Irish Red Cross have launched a COVID-19 Hardship Fund in partnership to support people experiencing difficulties meeting costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and are asking people to donate to allow them to assist as many older people as possible.
This GoFundMe Target of €5,000 will allow us to provide direct assistance to up to 20 older people who need this additional help urgently – so your support is very much appreciated and will make a BIG difference.
Unexpected costs can put an added strain on older people and the Hardship Fund will assist with the costs of increased food bills and associated delivery costs, replacing or upgrading essential small appliances, additional transport, energy or communication costs and the costs of additional safety or security equipment to enable older people to remain safe and well in their homes.
Official poverty statistics from the CSO indicate that 11.4% of people aged 65 years and over were ‘at risk’ of poverty in 2018 meaning they are not able to withstand the immediate economic impact of COVID-19. People over the age of 65 depend on social protection for more than three-quarters of their income, for many older people the State Pension is often their only source of income.
Older people are among the groups who are at high risk of the impacts of COVID-19 and we know some older people in vulnerable situations will need additional assistance and financial support, particularly as they cocoon over the coming weeks. We have designed this scheme to provide immediate practical relief to alleviate some of the day to day hardships they will experience due to COVID-19, such as increases in their living costs for additional shopping and deliveries, increased bills and transport costs for essential appointments.
This fund will provide additional assistance to vulnerable older people around Ireland who are experiencing hardship as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic by making once-off small grants, up to a maximum of €500, per person/household affected.
Older people, family members supporting an older person and carers of older people can apply as well as Social Workers and Local Community Organisations providing direct assistance to vulnerable older people. You can apply for financial assistance with the costs of practical needs that are adding to hardship as a direct result of COVID-19 and increased social distancing restrictions over the coming weeks.
This could be assistance for an older person with maintaining their ability to stay safe and well in their own home as they cocoon, such as the cost of handrails, additional security or safety equipment, providing assistance with the costs of food, basic provisions and their delivery, providing funds to buy or update small appliances such as a fridge, freezer, cooker, tv or washing machine, paying for additional transport and energy costs or the cost of additional phone bills”.
The Covid19 Hardship Fund opens Wednesday 1st April 2020 and will run for the duration of the corona virus health crisis in Ireland.
For more information visit https://www.ageaction.ie/how-we-can-help/age-action-and-irish-red-cross-covid-19-hardship-fund or by call Age Action at 01 [phone redacted] or email [email redacted]
This GoFundMe Target of €5,000 will allow us to provide direct assistance to up to 20 older people who need this additional help urgently – so your support is very much appreciated and will make a BIG difference.
Unexpected costs can put an added strain on older people and the Hardship Fund will assist with the costs of increased food bills and associated delivery costs, replacing or upgrading essential small appliances, additional transport, energy or communication costs and the costs of additional safety or security equipment to enable older people to remain safe and well in their homes.
Official poverty statistics from the CSO indicate that 11.4% of people aged 65 years and over were ‘at risk’ of poverty in 2018 meaning they are not able to withstand the immediate economic impact of COVID-19. People over the age of 65 depend on social protection for more than three-quarters of their income, for many older people the State Pension is often their only source of income.
Older people are among the groups who are at high risk of the impacts of COVID-19 and we know some older people in vulnerable situations will need additional assistance and financial support, particularly as they cocoon over the coming weeks. We have designed this scheme to provide immediate practical relief to alleviate some of the day to day hardships they will experience due to COVID-19, such as increases in their living costs for additional shopping and deliveries, increased bills and transport costs for essential appointments.
This fund will provide additional assistance to vulnerable older people around Ireland who are experiencing hardship as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic by making once-off small grants, up to a maximum of €500, per person/household affected.
Older people, family members supporting an older person and carers of older people can apply as well as Social Workers and Local Community Organisations providing direct assistance to vulnerable older people. You can apply for financial assistance with the costs of practical needs that are adding to hardship as a direct result of COVID-19 and increased social distancing restrictions over the coming weeks.
This could be assistance for an older person with maintaining their ability to stay safe and well in their own home as they cocoon, such as the cost of handrails, additional security or safety equipment, providing assistance with the costs of food, basic provisions and their delivery, providing funds to buy or update small appliances such as a fridge, freezer, cooker, tv or washing machine, paying for additional transport and energy costs or the cost of additional phone bills”.
The Covid19 Hardship Fund opens Wednesday 1st April 2020 and will run for the duration of the corona virus health crisis in Ireland.
For more information visit https://www.ageaction.ie/how-we-can-help/age-action-and-irish-red-cross-covid-19-hardship-fund or by call Age Action at 01 [phone redacted] or email [email redacted]
Organizer and beneficiary
Age Action Ireland
Organizer
Mary Hamoodi
Beneficiary
