Since the annual food collection cannot take place this Advent, Crosscare, the charity of the Archdiocese of Dublin, has called on the faithful to support them by making a donation online. Indeed, every December, the charity would usually collect “thousands of pounds worth of non-perishable foods to restock their foodbanks”, a statement from the Archdiocese reads. So online donations are encouraged this year to ensure “families struggling to cope can have food on the table this Christmas”. The services provided by the charity have been expanded since March to provide an extra 100 beds for homeless people, with individual rooms to ensure social distancing. Similarly, foodbanks “have remained open, operating to strict hygiene and Covid safety standards” to meet the needs. Over 7,000 food parcels have been distributed so far. “Demand remains high as many more people in our parishes and communities, who did not need support before, struggle with the economic downturn”. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said he was “proud” of Crosscare’s response aimed at ensuring that “young people, the homeless, families in need and those who have been further isolated by the pandemic continued to be supported” at this difficult time. The appeal to those who would ordinarily have supported the food campaign is to make a donation online at www.crosscare.ie.