Belvedere/JRS Campaign for Ukraine
Belvedere College SJ is inviting support for the Belvedere/JRS Campaign for Ukraine, recently set up by the college. Padraig Swan, Director of Faith and Service Programmes in Belvedere says the shocking images of life in Ukraine and surrounding countries are harrowing. “One would never imagine a crisis like this in Europe in 2022. As individuals, and as a Jesuit school, we are prompted to ask ‘what can we do to respond?'”
Padraig says he is aware that many people have already started to give of their time and resources to many campaigns that are already in full swing. “We have consciously taken the time to see how Belvedere College SJ can respond to give both an immediate response, but more importantly a medium to long term response.”
So along with Jesuit schools right across Europe, and further afield, the college has decided to support the work of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and its staff who are on the frontline of the conflict. “JRS have been responding to the plight of refugees and asylum seekers caught up in conflict and war for decades,” notes Padraig, “And they bring that experience to the Ukranian situation. We know that by supporting their work in Europe and here in Ireland we can make a real difference for the immediate response, and in the longer term. JRS have the capacity and experience to set up schools if required so children and families do not lose out on education. As a school we know the value of that response in the medium to longer term.”
Padraig says there are various options available for those wishing to support the Belvedere/JRS Campaign For Ukraine.
You can donate directly to our Just Giving Checkout page on our college website by clicking here ». There are no platform fees so 100% of every donation goes to JRS. (Note there is the option to offer a small processing fee but if you click the dropdown menu you can select ‘other’ and put in 0 and no extra charge applies. this doesn’t affect your donation total).
There is a fundraising campaign page on ‘Just Giving’ where you can run your own event » and invite your own followers to donate to your event as a way to support JRS.
The school has also created a poster that explains their campaign and has a dedicated QR code » where people can make a direct donation. “People could print these posters and distribute them in workplaces or among families. Or they could share the poster on their own social media outlets too,” says Padraig.
He also invites people to click on this link to see the running total » of how much has been raised so far on the Just Giving campaign page and offers a big ‘thank you’ to all those who have helped with their donations or in whatever way possible so far. ” Every donation will make a difference,” he says, adding, “As a faith community, we are also invited to hold the people of Ukraine and all those who suffer in our world in our thoughts and prayers.”