Jonathan Irwin, of Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation wins The Global Fundraiser Award at the IFC
20 October 2011
Jonathan Irwin CEO and founder of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation
has
picked up the individual Global Fundraiser Award at the International
Fundraising Congress (IFC) for raising over €30m since founding the Jack
and Jill Children’s Foundation in 1997. The Awards ceremony took place
in the Netherlands on Wednesday 19th October 2011. He shares the
prestigious accolade with joint winner Melissa Smith from RMIT
University, Australia.
Jonathan was nominated for this prestigious global award by Fundraising Ireland, as a result of
winning National Fundraiser of the Year at the Irish Fundraising Awards
in June of this year.
Speaking after the awards ceremony, Mary O’Kennedy, Chairperson of Fundraising Ireland said: "we
are delighted for Jonathan and all at the Jack and Jill Foundation. To
have the fundraising success of an Irish charity recognised on a Global
Scale is amazing, we are proud and delighted with this win!"
Other Irish Fundraising Award winners - the youth mental health charity Headstrong
- were also shortlisted in the ‘Big Idea, Small Budget’ category at The
Global Awards but sadly missed out to Ugandan Charity, Living Earth.
What the judges said:
"This is an outstanding example of a passionate response backed up with the vision to make a big and sustained impact. With commitment, strategic planning and innovation, Jonathan has grown his organisation, taking it from strength to strength with his pioneering approach to fundraising."
Jonathan was shortlisted from 30 entries from over 11 countries. The full list of Global Fundraising Award shortlisted nominees and winners can be viewed here.
About Jonathan Irwin and Jack & Jill Foundation
Since 1997 Jonathan has raised €32 million privately for the Jack & Jill Foundation, supporting 1,400 precious children, while receiving only €4.5 million in State aid since then. He has created a whole new currency out of “waste”.
Jack & Jill was the first Irish charity to turn unwanted mobile phones into cash, extending this to computer games and crutches more recently. His fundraising drive has given Jack & Jill the awareness and financial support to keep going in tough times and to raise the €2.7 million it requires every year to run the nationwide service.
Jonathan and his wife Senator Mary Ann O’Brien (MD of Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates) set up the Jack and Jill foundation following the death of his 22 month old Son, Jack Irwin who was deaf, blind, fed through a tube, took seizures and required around the clock care. In 1996 there were no supports for Jack outside the hospital but reluctant to abandon Jack in hospital, Jonathan and his family decided to try to care for Jack at home with the help of two local nurses and family and friends who set up a roster of care around Jack, which became the blueprint for the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.
From their experience evolved the Jack & Jill model of home nursing and respite care that supports nearly 300 families in Ireland today and has helped 1,400 children and their families since 1997.
The other big tragedy in Jonathan’s life is the loss of his 18-year-old son Sam in Summer 2000 while Sam was on a holiday in Portugal with his friends. He fell, hit his head and that was it. So Jonathan is a gentleman who is no stranger to grief and who tries to channel all this sadness in a positive way.
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