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EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

Kerry Parents and Friends Association (KPFA) has been allocated €28,913 by Community Foundation for Ireland as a result of the RTÉ Does Comic Relief national fundraiser.

Nationally, over €5.8 million was raised to help children with disabilities, people living with illness as well as victims of domestic violence.

In total 672 grants were handed out nationally, thanks to Comic Relief and while KPFA was one of many Kerry recipients, it was the only group in the Killarney area to get funding.
The KPFA allocation was the highest amount handed out to the 88 Munster based charities.
KPFA has branches and living quarters all over the county, but its training and administrative headquarters are on Port Road, in Killarney.

The RTÉ money is specifically for IT enhancement projects and something the management of KPFA has greatly welcomed.

“The first people this will help is the people we support,” CEO Marie Linehan told the Killarney Advertiser. “We have being trying hard to digitally connect all our services. With this funding, the people we support can log on to a cookery class or connect with their own friends in different parts of the county. It is especially important in these times when not everyone is in a position to attend our day-care services.”
Other Kerry facilities to benefit from the joint Community Foundation for Ireland/RTÉ scheme include Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House who received €3,000 and Castleisland Day Care Centre who got €5,000.