What Drives Us

Making a Difference

The Sunshine Fund is a unique branch of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul which provides week-long Summer holidays for children, aged 7 to 10, from disadvantaged parts of Dublin, and surrounding counties.

The Sunshine Fund owns a purpose-built holiday home a short walk from the beach in Balbriggan, North Dublin, where it has been running these holidays since 1935. Over 100,000 young people have passed through our doors since we opened.

Between January and April the fund organises fundraising, recruitment of volunteers and ordering of supplies for the holiday season- including clothes, shoes and toiletries.

Each week from May to August, 60-90 children are provided with food, board, €10 spending money, the chance to meet new friends and full-time positive adult attention. All free to the families.

The improved economic situation has not quite reached all areas of society and some of families are still feeling the pinch, but some are affected much more than others. Children are most at risk of being left behind, especially if they’re living in areas of disadvantage. It’s for them that The Sunshine Fund exists: we’re trying to make a difference to the most vulnerable members of our community.