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Nestlé Ireland joins with Pieta House to build hope for people through expansion of Pieta outreach services

Over €100,000 committed to help Pieta House to provide vital services
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Pieta House and Nestlé Ireland today announced a new partnership which will involve a three-year commitment by the company to support Pieta House and to assist in the expansion of Pieta House’s Outreach services. As part of the partnership, Nestlé will pledge over €100,000 to help Pieta House to continue to provide hope to those in need of its services.

Pieta House supports people and communities in crisis. Pieta House provides free counselling services and support to those who are at the risk of suicide, engaging in self-harm and those bereaved by suicide. Pieta House also provide educational programmes to raise awareness, reduce stigma and to support mental health and wellbeing.

Pieta House’s Outreach service was developed to cater for the growing demand for counselling support across the country. It will improve service accessibility, catering for people that are not in a position to travel to one of the 15 centres located nationwide. In addition to Outreach, the funds will also support Pieta House’s existing services including its 24/7 free phone Helpline service.

Elaine Austin, CEO of Pieta House Ireland: “We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Nestlé for partnering with us for the next three years, for their passionate support for our services and for helping us to expand our Outreach service. At its heart Pieta is about helping people to bring a little bit of hope back into their lives, to help them to improve levels self-care, and to support people and families that have been impacted by the loss of a loved one to suicide, to provide care, compassion and to nourish hope. It is so important that we make it easy for people to ask for and to get help they need, to make the difference in their lives.”

Andrew Shaw, Country Manager, Nestlé Ireland: “It is important to recognise the need to give back to the community in which we operate and this is something which is very much part of the ethos of the business. Our ‘Charity of The Year’ programme, which over the years has raised almost €680,000 for charities across the country, allows employees to select a cause or charity to get behind and raise funds for through a number of initiatives and fun activities. This year our colleagues have shown a great deal of passion in their desire to support Pieta House and the crucial services it provides to both individuals in crisis and their families. I speak for everyone at Nestlé when I say we’re excited to work with Pieta House to help them spread hope and support their vital work in destigmatising mental illness and improving quality of life for countless people in Ireland.”

Currently Pieta House operate a network of 15 centres across the country and 3 Outreach services, employing over 220 therapists and clinical staff. In 2018, Pieta House supported over 8,000 clients who were either at the risk of suicide, engaging in self-harm or bereaved by suicide and handled over 16,000 calls through its 24/7 crisis helpline. Pieta House focuses on providing a non-institutional, community-based service delivering therapeutic support within a non-threatening, caring and compassionate environment.

 

ENDS

 

For further information:

Norman Pratt / Vicky Jago at Weber Shandwick, (01) 6798600

About Nestlé in Ireland:

Nestlé Ireland is a subsidiary of Nestlé SA, the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company. Nestlé has over 70 brands across six categories in the Irish market: beverage, confectionery, cereals, food, petcare and infant nutrition. Its iconic brands include Nescafé, Kit Kat, Rowntree’s, Maggi as well as Bakers and Felix petfood. Nestlé’s product range also includes SMA infant nutrition, which has a manufacturing site at Askeaton, Co Limerick. Nestlé employs over 750 people in Ireland.

About Pieta House Ireland:

Pieta was established in Lucan, Co Dublin, in 2006 and now has 15 centres and 3 Outreach services across Ireland. Pieta offers free counselling to those suffering from suicidal ideation and to people who are engaging in self-harm. Pieta operates a Suicide Bereavement Counselling Service providing free counselling, therapy and support to individuals, couples, families and children who have been bereaved by suicide. Staff are fully qualified and provide a professional one-to-one therapeutic service.

Pieta Resilience Academy is an initiative to teach school going children positive mental health techniques and strategies. The Resilience Academy is a six-week, evidence-based programme that was designed ‘with schools, for schools’. The programme aims to provide students with skills and coping mechanisms that are needed to succeed in school, and throughout their adult lives.

Pieta also operates the free 24-hour suicide helpline 1800 247 247.

How to contact Pieta House:

To avail of Pieta House services, which are free of charge, please visit www.pieta.ie for all centre contact details. Pieta House provides 24/7 support – if you are suicidal, self-harming of bereaved you can contact Pieta House 24/7 via the Freephone helpline on 1800 247 247, you can also text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply)

For further information on Pieta House and its services, visit www.pieta.ie.