However, Cork Penny Dinners, a charity in Cork, are hoping to ease the burden on families who are really struggling.
The charity which serves approximately 1,000 hot meals a week to anyone in need are now providing free Holy Communion dresses and suits.
Talking to The Irish Times, CaitrionaTwomey a volunteer at the organisation explains how the whole thing started: “There’s a family we know who have a daughter going for Holy Communion this year and we knew from talking to them that it was going to be very difficult for them financially. I was thinking about how we could help out when I got a call from Ann O’Brien, who does our food collection, and she told me she had been offered two Communion dresses. We weren’t sure the dresses would fit the girl in question so we put out an appeal on our Facebook page and we were inundated with offers of dresses and suits for boys. Some people bought us new dresses and suits and others donated their own, and Cremins Cleaners offered to dry clean any outfits that needed cleaning, free of charge.”
To help families, they will be providing a pop-up shop in the River Lee Hotel on Sunday, 1st March where they will have 200 dresses and suits available for free.
