October Newsletter Welcome to our October Newsletter. This year has flown by it is hard to believe the dark nights are coming in and we are approaching Christmas. Like every year at The Little Flower this year seems even busier than last year. We were operating under HSE Guidelines for Older People Services up until July this year. Now, thank fully we are open again as usual. The old buzz is back in the building. As we always say we are about so much more than just the food. Food is important, we all need it – but we provide more than that. We give people respect and dignity and a bit of craic. We like to think people leave full of good food and full of joy. People need our help more than ever. As we approach the end of the year we ask if you are able to donate to please think of us. We rely on donations to survive and to do the work we do so every donation large or small makes a huge difference to us. We are truly grateful for the support we receive. Thank you! Ruth HarknessGeneral ManagerLittle Flower Penny Dinners Little Flower National Food Bank Day This year marked a first for Ireland and for the Little Flower. We ran the first Little Flower Penny Dinners National Food Bank Day. To our astonishment, it evolved into a resounding success. We would like to thank all the organisations that contributed, exceeding our expectations, especially given that this was the first time it was hosted in Ireland. National Food Bank Day is typically celebrated in the US on the first Friday in September every year. It was one of our main sponsors, Toast.org, an American based company (the philanthropic branch of Toast Inc.) that brought it to our attention this year. The primary objective of the Little Flower National Food Bank Day was to gather non-perishable food items such as tinned foods, tea bags, biscuits, and more. These items can be added to meal packs that we deliver to the people in our community who need it the most and we are also able to use some of the food to prepare the warm meals that we serve. Thank you to all the organisations for their donations Abbey Group Accenture All My Friends Pub Aloft Dublin City Capital Credit Union Charles River Laboratories Donore Credit Union Greenman Investments Group M Heritage Credit Union Iconic Offices In the Company of Huskies Mobility Mojo New Graphic Redco Toast org Teeling Whiskey Vow A Classic Favourite: Dublin Coddle If you ask what our guests favourite meal is, the majority of them would likely say the Dublin Coddle. Whenever we serve it in our premises (which is on quite a regular basis), the long standing debate about the right way to cook a coddle is brought up. Some say that the sausage should be fried in the pan before adding it while others prefer boil the sausage. Well there is no right or wrong way to cook it, or is there? We’d love for you to share your special Dublin Coddle recipe with us and what makes it so special. Feel free to send us an email at [email protected] Our Dublin Coddle Recipe: Ingredients: Sausages Rashers 3-4 potatoes 2 chopped carrots 2 chopped onions Herbs Vegetable stock Salt and pepper How to cook: Lightly coat a frying pan with oil and add the sausages. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes, turning them occasionally until they are evenly browned. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, combine the potatoes, vegetables, herbs, rashers, and the browned sausages. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the ingredients completely. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow it to simmer gently for about 45-60 minutes until the vegetables become tender, and the sausages are fully cooked through. Season the stew lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the piping hot stew alongside some delicious Irish brown bread. Enjoy! Feast Day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Our charity is named after St Thèrese who is widely known as the Little Flower and the 1st of October is the Feast Day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The name came from a metaphor she used to describe her spirituality and she used the analogy of a little flower in a garden to convey her approach to faith and holiness. She saw herself as a small, insignificant flower in God's garden, one among many, with each person representing a different flower. "The splendour of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness"St. Therese of Lisieux A Small Donation Can Make a Big Difference All of us in the Little Flower would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support. It's because of your kindness and generosity that we're able to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those in need. Every Monday to Friday at 12:00pm we serve a warm meal & dessert to the people in our community who need it the most. Our meals-on-wheels service operates 365-days a year to ensure that elderly and house-bound individuals have access to nutritious meals. This is all possible because of the generosity from individuals & organisations such as yourself. By making a donation, no matter how small, you can help us provide food and support to those who need it most. Every little bit counts, and together we can make a huge impact!