MORE than €88,000 in funding has been secured for Limerick’s Community Call response to COVID-19.
The COVID-19 Emergency Fund, which provides immediate and urgently needed funding to local groups participating in the Government’s “Community Call” initiative which is being led here by Limerick City & County Council in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Limerick branch of the project is to receive a sum €88,883 in according to Fine Gael TD, Kieran O’Donnell.
He said, “Local community and voluntary groups here in Limerick are supporting significant numbers of vulnerable people, many of whom are self-isolating, to get through this crisis.”
The Fine Gael TD said this fund will help the group “cover the costs of their fantastic work”, and said the allocation of funds is “a response to support immediate and emergency efforts by community and voluntary groups in assisting people locally”.
Deputy O’Donnell said, “Over the coming days, each Local Authority will provide information to groups involved with the ‘Community call’ effort in their area, regarding how to apply to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
“It is recognised that there are wider challenges and impacts facing the community and voluntary sector as a whole, but this initiative will help to provide support to community groups that are delivering services at the frontline.”
O’Donnell noted priority will be given to organisations “which incur costs on direct delivery of frontline services to people” highlighting the work of Meals on Wheels and similar services.
“These individual grants will generally be modest in nature, however it is expected that higher amounts will provided where the need is greatest,” Deputy O’Donnell said.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, said, “My Department has allocated a total of €2.5 million funding to Local Authorities, and Local Authorities will now administer the funding to groups involved in the Community Call effort. Local Authorities will be making contact with those groups participating in Community Call in the very near future with further details. The need for funding assistance will be kept under review.
“Collaboration and partnership between the community and voluntary sector and the State are key to coordinating and responding to the needs of our communities and supporting people at this time. These groups are making a real difference to help individuals at this unprecedented time.”
