17.10.2025
Crinken’s Storehouse 10 Years On – Foodbank Continues to Meet Huge Need
The 10th anniversary of Crinken’s Storehouse foodbank was marked with a special gathering this morning (Friday October 17). Representatives from regular donor churches and the agencies supported by the foodbank gathered alongside volunteers for a low key celebration, which acknowledged that after 10 years the facility was needed more than ever.
The event provided an opportunity for those who steadfastly bring food to the Storehouse to hear how their donations make a difference to the agencies and the people they support. There were many stories exchanged and touching accounts of how donations from parishes, which supplement food from FoodCloud and a local supermarket, make a real difference.
The Storehouse operates a novel model in that agencies come to them to collect boxes of food and other domestic and hygiene products. This preserves the dignity and privacy of their clients but it also means that they know best what their clients need and can tailor their requests accordingly.
Throughout the morning people came and went in Crinken’s parish centre and had soup and sandwiches and sweet treats. They heard from speakers who outlined the history of the Storehouse and its impact.
Former Minister in Crinken, Canon Trevor Stevenson, who founded the Storehouse a decade ago outlined the early years during which they operated from a tiny shed in the church grounds. He recalled his shock in the autumn of 2014 when he read a news story which stated that thousands of children in Ireland went to bed hungry. This led him to approach the vestry and ultimately to setting up the Storehouse.
“When we started this 10 years ago, I foolishly thought that we might do it for a couple of years. But 10 years later and the situation is only worsening,” he commented. He thanked everyone who journeyed with Crinken on the project, in particular all the churches and agencies who they partner with. “Unfortunately it looks like the need for the Storehouse is going to continue for a long time to come,” he concluded.
Veronica O’Leary, CEO and co–founder of Purple House Cancer Support in Bray spoke about the impact of the boxes of food they get from the Storehouse. She set up the charity 35 years ago when it was one of the first cancer support charities in Ireland. Now they help thousands of people impacted by cancer each year. The food hampers from Crinken are given to families who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis or who have been bereaved by cancer. “We are 35% funded but everything else is funded by donations. We couldn’t function without support from you,” she told the Storehouse volunteers. “The needs of the families are huge.”
Current Minister, Canon Tom O’Brien explained that the Storehouse was a well oiled machine. He said that on one Tuesday of each month he receives a call from Ellie who has been collecting a pallet of food from Tallaght provided by FoodCloud every month for the last 10 years. Together they unload Ellie’s van and pack the food onto shelves. Most of their food comes from FoodCloud but Tom said that each week they get a delivery from Tesco which includes hygiene products and there are the weekly donations from churches. The HSE provides women’s sanitary products.
“There is a huge amount of work that goes on in the background but behind all of that is you – the volunteers who pack the boxes, meet the agencies, have the conversations, greet people with dignity… The service is now getting more urgent every week rather than less in an Ireland where we would like to think we shouldn’t need it,” he commented. He thanked all the volunteers, agencies and donors, adding that the amount of donations that come from churches is astounding. He paid tribute to the fantastic network of parishes involved. “I have every confidence that the Storehouse will continue to be a beacon of hope for all. And for the people who are receiving the boxes, we pray that their lives are a little easier because of them,” he said.
The shelves were full in the Storehouse this morning as it is Harvest Thanksgiving season and donations are flooding in from many parishes. As the crowds were thinning out, a huge delivery arrived from a neighbouring parish national school which had held its harvest celebration earlier.
Delwen Bowler, who coordinates with the supporting churches, explained that the parishes are fantastic. If the team notices that they are running short of an item such as toothpaste, she will send out a message to their parish contacts and invariably someone will arrive the next day with a box of toothpaste. Parishes operate on different bases – some like to be given a list of items which are needed for while others give parishioners the choice of what they donate. She said they would be very happy to advise parishes in other areas who would like to set up their own foodbank.