Thousands queue for Christmas food vouchers: ‘I never thought life would end up like this’

Retired pensioners, carers, students, disabled people and mothers with young children were among thousands who queued from early Tuesday morning for food vouchers at the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin.

Gardaí had placed metal barriers between the pavement on Bow Street and the road overnight to protect those in the queue which began forming from well before 6am. Centre co-ordinator Alan Bailey said some had arrived even before staff and volunteers arrived at about 5am.

“There is no doubt the rise in the cost of living and other issues are affecting demand for assistance, which is increasing.” Through 2022 the centre provided about 3,000 meals a week to those in need, distributing about 1,100 food parcels and up to 200 packages of nappies and infant formula weekly.

On Tuesday about 3,000 vouchers, worth €50 each for Dunnes Stores, were distributed to help people meet Christmas costs.

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By 7am about 70 people were queuing as gardaí began diverting traffic away from the location. The traffic management followed chaotic scenes here last Wednesday when the distribution of tickets for the vouchers had to be halted on the advice of gardaí.

As the door opened at 8am, the queue was almost down as far as Mary’s Lane. Most who received the white envelopes with the vouchers were reluctant to stop and talk. All those who did however described how increased costs had made 2022 a “very hard” year.

Michael Rowland (72) a retired baker says he comes to the centre “about three times a week” to get food.

“It’s a big help. I live on my own in Finglas so coming here for some of my dinners saves at least €20 or €30 a week. They are very nice in there too, really nice. I worked in Buttercrust on the Phibsboro Road. I was a baker for years.” Asked what he notices has gone up in price, he says: “Everything. I am lucky I’m on my own. I wouldn’t like to be trying to support a wife and kids too.”

A woman in her 50s tells how she has come in to collect the voucher for her father. “I am here since 7 this morning. My dad is on his own and it will be a great help for him. He will be very, very happy with it.”

Ann, a mother of seven children, says the voucher is “very badly” needed.

“Everything has gone up. It’s €3.30 for a jug of milk now. I am on a very low income and I am always panicking about getting everything we need. I have to give €30 every two days for electricity. It affects your mental health.”

Brian Thompson (57), a former builder now on disability benefit, describes the voucher “very helpful, because things are so bad.

“It’s very hard to have anything at the moment. The next two weeks now coming will be desperate. Things have been very bad this year. Everything has gone up. The electricity, the gas, coal, groceries. And you just feel like you can’t get out of it.”

Asked whether it is affecting his mental health, he says: “It’s having a big effect. It is overwhelming, because I am homeless now as well and when you come down here every day for handouts for food it has knock on effect on you.

“I am coming here about a year now and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better for us any time soon. I am on my own. I am in emergency accommodation so you are eating out all the time, just trying to keep yourself fed. It’s just very hard.

“I am on disability,” he says sighing. “There’s not a lot happening for people with mental health issues. I never thought life would end up like this.”

Asked what he will do on Christmas day he says he is “hoping the RDS will be open” for Christmas dinner. “You do get lonely but coming here, you meet up with people, and that helps at least.”