RTÉ Toy Show Appeal sees grants help transform young lives across Ireland

The lives of children across Ireland will be improved in multiple ways through 147 RTÉ Toy Show Appeal grants announced today, which were made possible by the generosity of viewers of last November’s Late Late Toy Show.

Announcing the grants Dee Forbes, outgoing Director-General of RTÉ: 

“Children’s voices have always been at the very core of The Late Late Toy Show. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our viewers, thousands of children are now being supported in so many different ways.  To everyone who donated a huge thank you; this will help so many young lives in the year ahead and is a remarkable testimony to Ireland’s renowned generosity.” 

The response once again from Late Late Toy Show viewers to the appeal will help transform the lives of 1.2 million children, young people and their families, with every county on the island benefitting from grants totalling almost €4million.

Charity partner Community Foundation Ireland, which manages the grant process on behalf of RTÉ and its viewers, says that the competition for funding across the sector is intense, given the impact of cost of living on donations across the sector. The range of projects receiving funding are indicative of the range of challenges that children can face, but also of the innovative, practical and really valuable work being done by charities large and small, that are helping to make a difference.

Ryan Tubridy / RTE

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland: 

“The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal continues to make an enormous contribution to our mission of Equality for All in Thriving Communities. Over three-years with the distribution of €17.6 million in total viewers have impacted on young lives in every part of our country. Children’s lives are being transformed thanks to the generosity shown by family, friends and neighbours who respond during the Toy Show to ensure the magic continues all year round.” 

Founded in 2020, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal has raised over €17.5m for children’s charities to date. Over the past three years 359 grants have been provided to 226 children’s charities across the island of Ireland. It is estimated that the Appeal has helped over 1.1million children and family members annually since its inception.

Grants are being provided under three main areas of support, Addressing Essential Needs assists those children in every country who face the greatest challenges. Health and Wellbeing focuses on supporting children facing living with health challenges or disabilities and Creativity and Play will bring colour, creativity and fun into young lives all over Ireland, many of whom have faced serious adversity.