Intel supports SVDP and local meals on wheels

Yvonne McGivern from the Leixlip Vincent de Paul organisation accepts a cheque from Intel for over €3,000

placeholder image — Yvonne McGivern from the Leixlip Vincent de Paul organisation accepts a cheque from Intel for over €3,000

The Christmas season is a special time for many and provides an opportunity to reflect, to give thanks and to celebrate.

Typically, at this time of year, Intel Ireland works closely with local volunteer groups, residents and community organisations to celebrate them and recognise the impact they have on the communities around them.

On Thursday November 30, the annual Leixlip Senior Citizens Christmas Party, hosted by Intel, took place. The party brings together seniors from the local community and a team of Intel employees to celebrate the festive season. Over 200 guests from across Leixlip attended this year’s party.

Another group that Intel supports during this time is the Leixlip Meals on Wheels, a voluntary organisation which cooks and delivers meals to vulnerable members of the local community.

They open four days a week, every week of the year, and on a normal basis, they would cook and deliver around 25 meals per day or just over 100 per week. There are over 120 volunteers involved in the organisation, which is split into drivers and cooks.

Typically, the Intel onsite café takes over the preparation of meals for recipients for a day to give the usual Meals on Wheels volunteers a well-earned day off. On December 13 the Intel café team prepared all the meals for delivery.

Each year Intel employees spend the month of December supporting a variety of fundraising activities and collections in support of our local St. Vincent de Paul organisation.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) is the largest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland and focuses on providing a practical approach to dealing with poverty, alleviating its effects on individuals and families.

One of the key activities supported by employees was the donation of over 300 specially assembled gift boxes as part of a shoebox appeal for St. Vincent de Paul. The shoeboxes were assembled for children of a variety of ages and typically contain practical items, such as toiletries, along with toys, books and treats etc. for the recipients. The shoeboxes were donated to the Leixlip and Maynooth branches of the Vincent de Paul.

Intel also made a donation of over €3,000 to the organisation to assist the important support they provide over the festive season.