The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, made five transformative grants of €120,000 in 2024, which went to charities that support children with disabilities, Travellers and those facing poverty and sexual abuse.
Children At Risk Ireland (CARI) works with children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse (CSA) and the parents or caregivers who support them. CSA trauma can lead to lifelong mental health challenges, from anxiety, depression, and PTSD to substance abuse and relationship difficulties.
"The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal transformative funding will have a profound impact. Direct beneficiaries will gain knowledge to reduce vulnerability to abuse, understand their healing process, and decrease their feelings of isolation and shame." Emer O'Neill, CARI
Baboró strives to give all children, particularly those facing barriers due to disability or socioeconomic challenges, access to creative experiences that enrich their lives. With RTÉ Toy Show's transformative grant, Baboró's Creative Sensory Sessions project will address a significant gap in access to the arts for children with additional needs working with five specialist schools across the West of Ireland. Immersive sessions will be specially designed and tailored to the needs of each individual child.
"This funding is transformative for Baboró, enabling us to enhance accessibility while sharing creative tools, resulting in long-term positive impacts in the community", Aislinn O'hEocha, Baboró
The Offaly Traveller Movement through the support of the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal fund expanded its Travelling to Wellbeing Mental Health Service to Laois and Longford, which aims provides culturally tailored mental health services, outreach, and family support. Funding has also supported educational workshops on mental wellness, family dynamics, and youth resilience, tailored specifically to young Travellers. With the grant support OTM aims to foster a sense of safety, community, and belonging while addressing complex mental health needs that have long gone unmet in these areas.
"This funding not only allows for the expansion of an already vital programme but also demonstrates recognition and support for Traveller-specific services in rural areas." Sandra McDonagh, Offaly Traveller Movement
Crosscare also received transformative grant funding in 2024. Crosscare exists provide immediate help to people when they need it most or when they can't find support anywhere else, However, it also endeavours to create long-term, sustainable outcomes for those experiencing food poverty. In addition to advocacy and outreach which will remain central to its work, Crosscare will use RTÉ Toy Show Appeal funding to explore other models such as 'social supermarkets' to try and move on from the use of food banks which are limited in their impact to effect long term change.
"Through further development of Crosscare's advocacy work on the drivers into food poverty, it is hoped that fewer will reach the need for services like Crosscare’s." Conor Hickey, Crosscare
The final recipient of transformative grant funding in 2024 was Community Law & Mediation (CLM), an independent community law centre with 50 years' experience providing free legal, mediation and education services in communities impacted by disadvantage and inequality. With the support of transformative grant funding, CLM now holds legal advice clinics, for children and young people with care experience and the adults that support them throughout the month and across the country. CLM's legal advice model has also been adapted to ensure it is child-friendly and child-accessible and the additional resources available because of the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal have enabled all of this to happen.
"With this funding, we continue to work towards a dedicated children's law service for Ireland" Rose Wall, Community Law & Mediation
