Charity Donations Member Survey 2026 Results

Many thanks to all our members who took part in our recent 2026 Charity Donations Member Survey. Your votes have been counted and we’re delighted to share with you that we are awarding donations to the following five charities to support the causes that matter most to you.

These are Irish Cancer Society, Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, St Vincent de Paul and ALONE.

We are excited to support these five charities, each of which performs vital work that makes a meaningful difference to those who need it most in our community.

Number 1: Irish Cancer Society (€5,000 Donation)

Irish Cancer Society is a community of patients, survivors, volunteers, supporters, health and social care professionals and researchers that are working towards a future where nobody in Ireland will die from cancer.

Please see a summary below of some of the key services they provide:

• Provide free cancer information and support: They provide this service via 13 Daffodil Centres in hospitals nationwide and via a Freephone Support Line. In 2024 10,700 Freephone Support Line calls and emails were answered.
• Work to ensure more cancers are caught early: In 2024 1,950 health checks were conducted at their early detection Roadshows in shopping centres nationwide. The Roadshows aim to reduce people’s risk of cancer and improve early detection rates
• Fund life-changing cancer research: The Irish Cancer Society currently funds over 120 cancer researchers across Ireland working to develop new and better treatments for many different types of cancer.
• Keep cancer on the Government’s agenda: The Irish Cancer Society lobbies the Government to make patients’ lives better. They work to influence policy, legislation and national budgets so that patients are at the heart of cancer services and cancer care.
• Raise funds to carry out ICS’s mission: Each year the Irish Cancer Society provides free information, care and support to people across Ireland who are affected by cancer.

Number 2: Alzheimer Society of Ireland (€4,000 Donation)

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is the leading dementia-specific service provider in Ireland. The ASI works across the country in the heart of local communities, providing dementia-specific services and supports and advocating for the rights and needs of all people living with dementia and their carers. ASI is a national non-profit organisation.

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of conditions which cause changes and damage to the brain. Dementia is progressive and there is currently no cure.

There are 64,000 people with dementia in Ireland and the number of people with the condition will more than double in the next 25 years to over 150,000. There are 11,000 new cases of dementia in Ireland each year and 1 in 10 are under 65 years of age.

63% of people living with dementia live at home in the community.

Over 180,000 people in Ireland either are currently or have been carers for a family member or partner with dementia.

The overall cost of dementia care in Ireland is just over €1.69 billion per annum; 48% of this is attributable to family care; 43% is accounted for by residential care; formal health and social care services contribute only 9% to the total cost.

Number 3: Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation (€3,000 Donation)

Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation was set up in 1997 by Jonathan Irwin and his wife Mary Ann O’Brien (founder Lily O’Brien’s chocolates), in memory of their son Jack who suffered a brain trauma shortly after birth that left him developmentally delayed. At the time, there was no support for Jack outside of the hospital, so the family brought Jack home and cobbled together a homecare plan with the help of five local nurses from their neighbourhood.

Jack’s homecare plan was the blueprint for the Jack and Jill Foundation’s unique model of child and family centred care that gives the parent carer a break from the intensive home care regime required for a child like Jack and since then over 3,000 precious children and their families have been supported by the Foundation.

Jack and Jill is now a nationwide charity that funds and provides up to 100 hours per month of in-home nursing care and respite support to families caring for children, up to the age of seven, with severe learning disabilities often associated with complex medical needs.

Typically, these children may be tube fed, oxygen dependent, may not sleep, take seizures, need a lot of medication and require around-the-clock care. Understandably, their parents can be exhausted and need a break, which is where Jack and Jill comes in. Jack and Jill’s service operates seven days a week, with no means test, no red tape and no waiting list.

Another key part of the service is end-of-life-care for all children up to the age seven, irrespective of diagnosis, empowering parents to take their child home to die at this most difficult time.

First Tech’s donation of €3,000 translates to over 166 hours of in-home nursing, respite and end-of-life care for some of the 456 families currently under Jack and Jill’s wing – families who rely on Jack and Jill to help them care for their child at home, where they belong. That’s time, comfort and specialist care delivered exactly where and when it’s needed most.

Number 4: St Vincent de Paul (€2,000)

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic volunteer organization dedicated to tackling poverty and social injustice. Since their founding in 1844, they have dedicated themselves to providing practical assistance to those in need. They welcome members from all faith backgrounds and walks of life. With over 10,000 active members, SVP Ireland makes a significant impact across the country.

Their volunteers engage directly with the most vulnerable and isolated individuals, offering not just material support but the invaluable gift of companionship. dedicating time and attention to each individual they assist.

• Family Visitation: The heart of their service is the personal connection they establish. Volunteers visit people in their homes to assess their needs, offer a listening ear, and provide tailored emotional and material support (like food, clothing, or fuel).
• Vincent's Charity Shops: SVP operates a network of thrift shops that provide affordable clothing and goods to the public. All proceeds are recycled directly back into local community assistance programmes.
• Social Housing: The organisation manages and delivers social housing units for vulnerable people, including low-income elderly individuals.
• Community & Child Services: SVP runs childcare facilities, youth groups, and community resource centres offering safe spaces, educational programmes and support for families in need.
• Social Justice: In addition to direct aid, the society lobbies for policy changes aimed at eradicating the root causes of poverty and inequality.

Number 5: ALONE (€1,000)

ALONE is a national organisation, whose aim is to support and empower older people to age happily and securely at home.  ALONE works with all older people, including those who are frail, lonely, homeless, living in poverty, or are facing other difficulties. Older people are supported through these challenges and services are provided free of charge.

ALONE’s services include:

• National Support and Referral Line which is available 8am to 8pm 7 days a week.
• Support Coordination Services which provide companionship, practical support, help with everyday problems and connections to local events and activities.
• Community Impact Network (CIN) which supports smaller community groups across Ireland by providing computerisation, training, knowledge sharing, and fostering collaboration.
• Assistive Technology: ALONE equips its frontline staff with a range of assistive technology that can be used by older people to meet a variety of complex needs.

ALONE’s volunteers and staff conducted 111,739 visits to older people in 2025 and made 197,468 support phone calls. This included 11,976 check-in calls to older people during the year and 8,915 Christmas check-in calls.

Thank you once again to all members who took part in the survey. Your voice makes a real difference and we are proud to donate to these charities on your behalf.