Good Samaritan hosts Christmas dinner for ‘new poor’

A group of people who can’t afford Christmas Day dinner, or who for various reasons don’t have the enthusiasm for it, are being brought together this year by the city’s newest organisation.

However, Lean on Us is a very low-key group because the very people they want to help want to keep that assistance private.

You could say there’s a ‘new poor’ in Galway City — a group of people who wouldn’t dream of seeking help from the St Vincent de Paul Society to name but one organisation.

They might have run small businesses that went belly up in the recent recession and now find they are just barely keeping afloat as they repay bank loans on companies that no longer exist.

Lean On Us was the brainchild of one Salthill-based woman who wants to keep her anonymity to protect the very people being helped.

Teresa, a former teacher now working in accounts, said she came across so many people who were in dire straits who were under the radar of charities like SVP.

“I realised that there were a lot of people troubled by finances, people you wouldn’t think were poor but who I knew couldn’t put food on the table.

“In September I came up with the idea and now there are 12 volunteers helping families of all ages across the city in a very low-key way.

“No money is involved. No fundraising has been undertaken. This is all about donations of food distributed to families in a very low-key, discreet manner. I take the bus rather than use my own car when delivering food to protect their identities as they don’t want people to know how badly off they really are,” she explained.

But the low-key approach had to be broken this week when Teresa realised that they would need a suitable venue if they were to provide a Christmas Day meal for up to 30 people.

“I have had people in my own house and I wanted to share our own day with some families, but there were too many to fit in my own house, so I decided to spread the word.”

Only hours after being on the Keith Finnegan Show on Galway Bay FM last week, Teresa got offers from NUI Galway, the Dominican Hall and a restaurant, owned by Michael Keaney in Ballybane to use their premises on the day.

Teresa was already visiting one of these venues when she spoke to the Galway City Tribune about her plans for the day.

“All the food will be donated and probably cooked by the volunteers on or off the premises. Obviously we won’t be publicising where we choose because we want to continue helping these people discreetly.

“I know if I was in their shoes, I would be the last person to seek help with SVP or anyone. They all do great work but some people don’t accept their new circumstances or are too private and proud to seek help.”

Because Lean On Us doesn’t publicly seek the ‘new poor’ Teresa and her volunteers use other means to find them.

“I sometimes sit in the foyer of University Hospital Galway or listen to people on buses and I approach them gently if I feel they qualify for the service we are providing. I just give people my number and, usually, they do contact me because they know they will be helped discreetly.”

Teresa dismisses any suggestion that she is a ‘do gooder’ saying she is only doing what she believes has to be done to ensure these families are not ignored.

She has studied counselling but also uses her own common sense and decency when talking to people.

“The Red Cross has also come on board for the day and as well as being able to provide a Christmas lunch for a few families, they might also get comfort from knowing they are not alone,” she adds.

As well as food donations, Teresa said Christmas decorations would be welcomed to make the chosen venue festive for the occasion.

Anyone interested in donating or becoming involved as a volunteer or indeed going to the Christmas meal can ring Teresa on 0851763927.