Geoff Meagher, national president of St Vincent de Paul (SVP)

Slow economic recovery in Ireland has pushed the leader of the Society in Ireland to raise his voice for the poor. The Irish Times reports,

“Geoff Meagher, national president of St Vincent de Paul (SVP), said the organisation is seeing an “alarming level” of calls despite the recent improvement in the economy.

The society recorded 10,000 calls for help to the SVP east region office which covers Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow in November alone. The calls represent a 7 per cent increase on the same month last year.

“Similar trends are being experienced in different parts of the country. We continue to appeal for public donations to help us to meet the demand for support that we continue to receive,” Mr Meagher said.

The level of donations of food and toys “has been excellent” this year but the level of financial donations continues to be “challenging”.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP, SVDP or SVP) has over 11,000 volunteers, all well aware of the Irish situation and with a deep understanding of the great hardship experienced by those in poverty – which the Times admitted last year, “has become an unremitting daily challenge.” As Ireland’s largest voluntary charitable body, the “SVP,” as they are referred to in Ireland, reaches out to individuals and households in crisis, offering them support and assistance. Their voice is always raised on behalf of the poor when discussions of the national budget are in play.

Read the full story from the Times here.