Irish Life Announces First-Ever Three-Year Charity Partnership with The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation

Pic: Declan Bolger, Chief Executive of Irish Life Group and Deirdre Walsh, CEO of the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.

Irish Life has announced The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation as its charity partner for the next three years, marking the first time in its history that a charity has been selected for a multi-year partnership through its Irish Life Staff Charities programme.

Chosen through an employee vote, Jack and Jill will work alongside Irish Life and its staff to raise vital funds and awareness for families across Ireland caring for children with severe learning disability often associated with complex medical needs.

Since its establishment in 1995, Irish Life Staff Charities has raised over €6.2 million for more than 30 charities, with Irish Life matching every euro raised by employees.

Announcing the partnership, Declan Bolger, Chief Executive of Irish Life Group, said: “Irish Life Staff Charities continues to go from strength to strength, built on more than three decades of generosity, kindness and a genuine desire from colleagues to support our communities. This is an incredible collective achievement and something we can all be proud of. I am really looking forward to working with Jack and Jill and seeing the impact we can make together for the people and communities they support.”

The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation is a nationwide charity that funds and delivers up to 100 hours per month of in-home nursing care and respite support to families caring for children up to the age of seven with highly complex medical needs. Its service operates seven days a week, with no means test, no waiting list and no red tape.

The charity currently supports more than 490 families across Ireland, providing what many describe as a “lifeline” or a “gift of time” to parents caring for their children around the clock.

Welcoming the partnership, Deirdre Walsh, CEO of The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, said: “We are deeply honoured and truly grateful to have been chosen by Irish Life employees as their charity partner for the next three years. This partnership means so much to the 490+ families we currently support across Ireland, who rely on Jack and Jill for vital in-home nursing care and respite.

At the heart of our service is a commitment to compassion, dignity and keeping children at home, where they belong, surrounded by their families. The support of Irish Life will be truly transformative, helping us to continue delivering what many parents describe as a ‘lifeline’ – precious time to rest, recharge and simply be a family.

It is especially meaningful for us to partner with an organisation that shares our values – from compassion and integrity to a deep belief in community and working together to make a real difference. We are excited to build a strong and impactful relationship with Declan and the entire Irish Life team over the next three years, and to see the incredible difference we can make together.”

Founded in 1997 by parents Jonathan Irwin and Mary Ann O’Brien, Jack and Jill has supported 3,247 families to date. The charity must raise over €8.72 million in 2026 to sustain its essential service, with approximately 20% funded by the HSE.

This three-year partnership will play a critical role in supporting the charity’s mission to empower families to care for their children at home, where they belong.