Bank makes €1 million donation in response to virus outbreak
Howard Lake | 9 April 2020 | News
Bank of Ireland is donating €1 million in emergency funding to communities with urgent needs arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
In partnership with The Community Foundation for Ireland (CFI), the Bank is fast-tracking €500,000 of the funds to 13 organisations that are working to support the immediate needs of vulnerable groups across the island of Ireland, north and south. This support is being delivered to projects which will support children and older people, domestic abuse, rural isolation, cancer support, mental health, and food distribution.
The remaining €500,000 – €350,000 to CFI and €150,000 to the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 Funds (CFNI) to help local charities and community organisations assisting vulnerable individuals and groups through this difficult period.
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The Chief Executive of the Bank of Ireland Francesca McDonagh said some of those most affected by the virus are also the most vulnerable in our society and they need as quickly as possible.
Ms McDonagh said: “A crisis like this presents a range of real challenges. Some are obvious, but other needs may be less visible. That’s why we are working with The Community Foundation for Ireland which has advised us on a wide range of social issues and needs that require immediate financial support.”
Charities that are receiving funding
The organisations working on Covid-19 specific projects who have received funding from Bank of Ireland are Aware Northern Ireland, Cruse Bereavement Care NI, Age Action, Crosscare, Irish Cancer Society, SAFE Ireland, St Vincent de Paul, Irish Rural Link, COPD Support Ireland, Children’s Rights Alliance, with a joint project being worked on by Asthma Society of Ireland, Cystic Fibrosis and Lung Fibrosis Ireland.
Cruse Bereavement Care NI is proposing to set up a Bereavement Befrienders project for people aged over 60+.
CFNI has received €100,000 towards the Coronavirus Community Fund and Aware Northern Ireland and Cruse Bereavement Care NI received an additional €25,000 each from the bank.
Aware NI is seeking to address the mental health challenges that Covid-19 will present over coming months. This €25,000 will enable their two projects to expand to better support people with depression and bi-poladisorder.
Existing donations in response to coronavirus
Meanwhile, CFNI’s CEO Andrew Mccracken revealed that they had already distributed £365,000 to 150 groups in response to coronavirus through their special community fund.
As part of the response to coronavirus Comic Relief and the CFNI have also set up a special fund to help provide support for children who may go hungry which is now open for applications.
- Bank of Ireland reviews its charitable giving (1 May 2006)
- Bank of Ireland UK chooses Childline as charity of the year (30 March 2005)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.