By Claire O’Brien
LIMERICK businesses donated a total of €289,757 in cash and in kind donations to local charities and community groups in 2013.Over 2034 hours were volunteered by local employees and over 123 community partnerships were supported.
Business in the community Ireland (BITCI) captures the statistics on an online interactive map entitled the “Business Impact Map” which can be viewed online at http://livemaps.bitc.ie and gives a county by county breakdown of how companies such as A&L Goodbody,ESB,Intel,Diageo Ireland and their employees supported their local community groups and charities during 2013.
National statistics show that almost €9.5 million was given in cash donations, €11 million was contributed through in kind donations a significant increase from €6million in 2012 and €3 million was raised through employee fundraising.Limerick ranked third highest for employee fundraising at €125,000.Social issues that received the most support were health at €5.2 million, education programmes at €5.5 million, children and youth projects at €4.6 million and community programmes at €2 million.
Tina Roche,CEO of Business in the Community Ireland stated “In a year that has seen a decline in charitable donations in Ireland, and as times are getting tougher, what we have noticed is that companies are contributing more in the way of in kind donation, pro bono support and employee volunteering hours”.Roche added that companies are using their own skillset to provide support to local groups and charities free of charge,on a long term basis.
