Feeding Vulnerable people in the Liberties

Staff and volunteers from the Little Flower Penny Dinners were busy preparing food for people who were expected to come up to its main dining hall and front dining room. After a while, the two rooms were crowded with not only homeless people, but also elderly clients who were eating food and socializing.

Little Flower Penny Dinners (LFPD) has been supporting those in need and providing up to 72,000 meals annually in the Liberties and the surrounding area since its foundation in 1912.

“On a daily basis, we serve for lunch/dinner about 120 meals for the main dining hall and we have 30-40 meals for the front seniors dining room,” Ray Juthan, operations coordinator of the LFPD. “We have 10 staff and 30 volunteers.”

The LFPD is located opposite St. Catherine’s Church on Meath Street in Dublin 8. It is open from Monday to Friday in order to serve breakfast from 9 to 10:30 am and lunch/dinner from 11:30am to 1:15pm.

The charity’s services are funded mainly by private donations and its supporters and the services are based on its mission “to serve food for the body and food for the soul of all who seek it”.

General manager David Kiberd said: “We have an open door policy, which welcomes all regardless.”

The charity has two delivery vans which delivers meals to the housebound all year round.

Kiberd added: “We encourage people to come here, but if they can’t come here, (we get referrals from public health nurses, social workers, family members etc) we deliver meals to the client.

“The Meals on Wheels service serves about 60 people daily.

“We deliver meals 365 days a year, Monday to Saturday (on Saturday, meals included are for Sunday). The delivery includes Bank Holidays, Easter and Christmas Day.”

In addition to the meal services, there are various activities and events provided for in the Little Flower Centre.

“The Centre is used by A.A. on Monday afternoons, Tuesday, and Friday nights with Al Anon on Monday night,” Kiberd said.

“We also have different clubs for Seniors. There is a Ladies Club on Monday night and a Ladies Seniors Club on Tuesday afternoon; a Film Club on Wednesday afternoon with Bingo on Thursday afternoon and Friday evening.”

The main dining hall is also used by the Parish and local community organisations which include children’s parties at Easter, Halloween, and Christmas.For more information see www.LFPD.ie