The Irish Wheelchair Association in Laois is appealing for your support after they decided to cancel their annual street collection because of Covid-19.
The charity has launched an online appeal called ‘Without You, We’re Stuck’ and is asking people to make a donation through its website, www.iwa.ie.
Irish Wheelchair Association’s annual collection, which normally takes place across the country, raises €300,000 towards the charity’s work with people with physical disabilities.
This is the first time in the collection’s 30-year history that it has been cancelled.
Josephine Kenny of the Irish Wheelchair Association in Laois is very worried about the loss of income from fundraisers which is going to affect their services.
She said: “The loss of this critical income is concerning at a time when our local fundraising events have already had to stop.
“We estimate that we will have lost almost €1 million in fundraising income nationally by the end of the year. Without this support, our services and the people we support, will be stuck.
“We rely entirely on the generosity of the public to fund our wheelchair accessible buses, which are a lifeline for connecting people who cannot access public transport, to our services.
“Our children’s sports clubs, driving school and many other services are also supported through local fundraising efforts”.
Kenny hailed the efforts of the frontline workers here in Laois during the crisis and pleaded with the public to donate to the appeal.
“We have had to postpone many plans, our frontline workers throughout Co. Laois have redoubled their efforts to ensure that nobody we support has been left alone and isolated throughout the crisis.
“Our members in Co. Laois depend on our services, and as an organisation, we are working tirelessly to keep everyone we support connected to their communities.
“Our local community centres were turned into outreach services within hours of the lockdown being announced.
“Our assisted living team, which provides home support, has continued their essential work in people’s homes, with an emergency team of courageous frontline staff ready to work in full PPE with people who have to isolate.
“Our services are needed now, more than ever. We would be incredibly grateful if people could remember Irish Wheelchair Association services in Co. Laois this week and make a donation through our website.” she finished.
To support Irish Wheelchair Association’s ‘Without You, We’re Stuck’ appeal visit www.iwa.ie.
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