About Us
Since the earliest days of the IFSC, the Trust has been an important conduit for the goodwill and generosity of the IFSC community to its neighbours in the Inner City.A registered charity, managed by a small group of volunteers drawn from IFSC bodies, the Trust operates on a shoestring to ensure that its available income provides maximum support to community organisations providing education, training and recreation for young and old in an area which has more than its share of problems and rather less than its share of facilities.
The trust does not pay salaries or have other operational overheads. Any costs incurred are extremely modest and arise primarily when fundraising events are organised.
Historically, the Trust has supported a wide range of community initiatives aimed at giving young and old of Dublin’s inner City education, training and healthy recreation.
We have facilitated “grinds” classes provided by East Wall Youth Centre and Ballybough Youth Project. In an area where many children have no facilities for study at home, the grinds programmes have been an outstanding success. Already several participants have achieved admission to third level courses – a truly exceptional attainment in the dockland area.
In partnership with the dedicated staff of schools in an area where it is impossible for parents to make any financial contribution, the Trust has provided essential equipment and facilities such as white boards, library books, shelving and other items to give children the best possible chance of optimising their potential and the results achieved are testimony to the community’s appetite for education.
There are many schoolchildren in the area who have special needs and the Trust has helped schools to provide multi-sensory rooms which have been hugely beneficial to youngsters affected by autism and other difficulties. Teachers are amazed by the extent to which this has enabled the children to avail of mainstream education.
In addition to providing financial support for education and training ventures, the Trust also helps numerous sporting groups such as boxing clubs, dance groups, football clubs and others, where volunteers work tirelessly to provide healthy outlets for youthful energy and to keep youngsters from being at risk on the City’s streets.
At the other end of the age spectrum the elderly, many of whom live alone, are helped by the Trust. Security alarm systems, social outings and day care facilities are just some of the ways in which their lives are made easier.
Demand always outstrips supply in the Trust’s world and in the current economic situation it was never more so. Our work, so important to the Inner City community, would be impossible without the continued generosity of IFSC companies. For that, everyone at the Trust is profoundly grateful and, as new demands emerge it is our hope that we can depend upon the continued support of those who have adopted the Trust as their ‘charity of choice’. We also hope that we may call upon others to contribute and join us in extending a helping hand to the very special people who are our IFSC neighbours.
