The Little Flower Penny Dinners was established in 1912. It was set up by the parish and local community in response to the high levels of poverty in the area and to provide food for those in need.

The charity was named in honour of our patron St Thèrese of Lisieux, widely known as the Little Flower; and started with donations from local parishioners of one penny per week. Hence the name The Little Flower Penny Dinners.

Anyone could come to The Little Flower perhaps with a large bucket or basin and take home enough food for the family. Many used their shawls to hide the basin.

Interesting Facts about the Little Flower Penny Dinners:

• Our premises is still located in the same building on Meath Street where it all started in 1912. 
  
  
• In the 1930s, the kitchen was in the basement and meals were given to guests through a service hatch and they could then enjoy the food at the tables in the big hall. Back then the menu typically consisted of stew as well as tea, bread & jam. 
  
  
• The idea of "Penny Dinners" was not exclusive to Meath street but was a service offered by organisations in Cork, Waterford and other parts of Dublin. However, the underlying principle remained the same and to help people overcome the stigma of receiving help from charity, they were asked to make a donation of a penny. Even if people were not able to pay the penny, they would not have been denied a meal but were able to enjoy a meal with everyone else. 
  
  
• In the late 1970s, a basic meal-on-wheels service was established to help people that were housebound and elderly who were in need for hot meals since they often would live alone and struggle or be inclined to cook themselves. This meals on wheels service is still up and running, today we have 2 vans that deliver meals 365 days a year. 

Staff of the Little Flower - 1910s

An old image of the Penny Dinners.

The early days of the Little Flower.