If you find yourself struggling to feed yourself properly, it is important to remember that there are services that can help you if you can’t afford the food you need.
If you need food support, Crosscare’s Food Service provide a case-work service who will provide practical advice, help you to identify & access social and financial supports (if eligible) and where needed, emergency food support. Contact Joy or Amanda on (01) 891 3022 or email foodcaseworkservice@crosscare.ie
Where to look for help:
Crosscare Food Service
Crosscare’s Food Service provide a case-work service for those in need of food support. They will work with you to explore long-term solutions such as budgeting, ‘smart’ recipes, correct access or signposting to grant options and where needed, emergency food support. Contact Joy or Amanda on 01 8913022 or email foodcaseworkservice@crosscare.ie
Vincent de Paul
Tell them you are finding it difficult to pay for food – they’ll usually make an appointment to come out and talk about your situation – they will ask you some questions about your income and needs. They can check if you should be getting any benefits you’re not currently claiming and tell you about other local help you could get. They may give you a voucher for your nearest food bank or supermarket, if needed. You can get help online.
Crosscare Community Cafés
Crosscare Community Café
Access to an affordable home-cooked meal in a friendly and safe coffee shop setting.
- Community Café, 35 Portland Row, Dublin 1. (01 855 5577)
- Community Café Eblana Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. (Ph: 01 412 3602) cafe@crosscare.ie
Opening Hours
Open: 8am-10am for breakfast
Open: 12pm – 2pm for lunch
Soup, lunch, tea/coffee €4
Soup, lunch, dessert, tea/coffee €5
Supermarkets
Most supermarkets have a discount section at the end of the day where food that may be close to their sell by date are heavily discounted. Most also have ‘weekly deals’ and one or two are generally meat or frozen so meals can be planned from these? e.g. LIDL App has a deals section.
Food banks
Food banks provide free, nutritionally balanced, tinned and dried food to those who need it. This might include people who have been hit by an unexpected financial crisis, such as losing a job, unexpected bills or life event.
- Solid Rock Food Bank, Inchicore
- The People’s Foodbank, Lavery Ave., Park West, Bluebell
- Killinarden Community Centre Food Bank
- Liberties Food Bank
Student Assistant Fund
The Student Assistant Fund is a one-time payment that can help if you find yourself in financial difficulty while in college. Contact Students Union or Student Supports in the college/university you are attending.
Dept. of Social Protection's Representative
Exceptional Needs Payment is a single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expense which you cant meet out of your weekly income. You must have a low income. Urgent Needs Payments are paid in emergency situations.These payments are not means tested but you may have to pay some or all of the payment back. The Department of Social Protection’s representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) is based in your local Intreo centre.