Piaras Kelly PR - Public Relations in Ireland

The issue of transparency for charities rose its head again over the weekend. Reporting in the Irish Times (subscription required), Paul Cullen, Consumer Affairs correspondent, wrote about the actual amount from the sale price of Charity Christmas Cards that goes towards their intended cause. In some cases as little as 10 per cent of the sale price actually goes to the cause.

Transparency has and always will be an issue for charities. When people put money in the poor box they assume that it all goes to the intended charity, but the reality of the situation is that it does not.

If you want to purchase Christmas cards this year from a charity then it is worth considering buying them from the Children’s Sunshine Home.

Twelve of Ireland’s leading graphic designers have come together to design a series of Christmas cards to benefit the Children’s Sunshine Home in Leopardstown, Co Dublin. Designers, finishers, printers and paper suppliers worked for free, ensuring every cent raised will go directly to the Children’s Sunshine Home. The designers came up with the idea for the project following the news that Daniel Farrell, whose parents both work in the industry, had died suddenly aged just 15 months. The money raised from the sale of these cards will go to help build the first Children’s Hospice in Ireland. Call the Children’s Sunshine Home at 012893151 or visit their website.