A soup kitchen that provides hot meals to the homeless and needy daily in Cork expects to feed over two hundred people on Christmas day.
Caitriona Twomey, who runs Penny Dinners on Little Hanover Street in the city centre, says that they will also indirectly feed dozens more as they are giving out hampers to the needy for the special day.
"You are wondering why people are coming to Penny Dinners on Christmas day. It is because they have to. It is not even just for the food it is for the company and to have someone to talk to. To feel wanted and loved on the day. We pull out all the stops on that day."
High Hopes choir will perform onsite on Christmas day and a meal with all the trimmings will be provided free of charge by the nearby River Lee Hotel.
Penny Dinners provides up to 2,000 dinners a week to the homeless in Cork.
Hardship
Ms Twomey has seen all variety of hardship over the years including the death of some service users.
Meanwhile, Caitriona is urging the public to lift the spirits of the homeless by donating gifts which take them in off the streets for a few hours.
“We would be asking for cinema vouchers, tickets for the pantomime or Cork on Ice. It’s a long day for people when they are homeless and out in the cold and it gives people such a lift to attend such things. Alan Foley (the Founder) of Cork City Ballet gives us tickets for the ballet and I can’t tell you how good it makes people feel.
It is a couple of hours of magic for a homeless people. It makes such a difference in the life of that person. They genuinely are thrilled afterwards.
Obviously we are looking for new clothes and toys but I would really ask that (the public) consider vouchers for such things as a takeaway. I couldn’t begin to tell you what it means. Just simple small stuff like that.”
Penny Dinners will give out thousands of food and gift hampers to families across Cork this Christmas. They are always in need of children’s jackets, underwear, vests, tights, socks, baby wipes and women’s sanitary products.
The charity recently bought and renovated a house to accommodate homeless people. The house in Cork city centre has been transformed in to three two bedroom apartments by the organisation and houses six people.
Donations can be made to Penny Dinners at their premises or at corkpennydinners.ie