Our fundraising strategy

Jigsaw’s 2017-2020 fundraising strategy looks to support Jigsaw’s vision of an Ireland where every young person’s mental health is valued and supported. Our core objective is to broaden Jigsaw’s fundraising base, with a KPI target of raising over €3million over the strategy’s four year lifespan.

The strategy also looks beyond 2020 to the future, with an objective to develop a number of sustainable fundraising products.

Two years into our strategy and we have reached 66% of our fundraising target, with over €2million raised from a mixture of individual donations, corporate partnerships, trusts and grants, events and challenges, and community activities.

Two fundraising events have been developed since 2017, our annual cycling event, the BoxyMo Giro D’Jigsaw, and our Jigsaw Heroes Croke Park abseil.

In 2018, with the help and generosity of our supporters and donors, we raised €1.37million. This was a significant increase of €659,961 on what was raised in 2017 (€716,145).

In addition, pro-bono support of €895,161 was received, which is an increase of €129,259 on 2017 (2017: €765,902).

We advance the mental health of young people in Ireland by influencing change, strengthening communities and delivering services through our evidence-informed early intervention and prevention approach.

Jigsaw - Our Strategy 2018–2020

2018 highlights and achievements

  • 132 people took part in two Jigsaw Heroes Croke Park abseils, raising over €70,000
  • Our annual cycling event, the BoxyMo Giro D’Jigsaw saw 45 people covered 470km around Ireland over three days to raise over €65,000
  • Lidl raised over €70,000 through the Lidl Bakery, which popped up in Cork, Dublin and Limerick to raise funds and awareness through coffee, music, poetry and pastries
  • Jigsaw were selected as MSD’s Neighbour of Choice’ for 2018 and ran a series of fund and awareness raising events throughout the year
  • Michael Quinn, a member of the Lidl team in their Westport store, hiked the length of the Ireland Way, over 1000km in 40 days, to raise awareness and over €6,000
  • Medtronic Galway raised a total of €123,000 during 2018.
    Activities included:
    - A staff yoga fundraiser
    - The Medtronic OsKars
    - Jog for Jigsaw 10k run
    - Christmas choir singing
    - Kilbeacanty Tractor Run in Country Galway raised €16,000
    - St Andrew’s College Parents’ Association raised €42,500
    - NUI Maynooth SU ran a number of activities to raise €6,373
    - BEO Lifestyle events raised €8,615

Jigsaw would like to thank all our corporate partners in 2018, including:

Lidl
Three
MSD
Medtronic
Arthur Cox
Bristol-Myer Squibb
Collins McNicholas
Citco
CarTrawler

Supporter profile: Michael Quinn

Michael Qunn works for our corporate partner Lidl. In September 2018 he spent 40 days walking the length of the Ireland Way, over 1000km, to raise more than €6,000 for Jigsaw.

What inspired you to get involved with Jigsaw?
‘I found out that Lidl was partnering with Jigsaw on the day I was at the funeral of a friend that had tragically fallen from a balcony in Thailand. I knew then that I wanted to do something big to try and help, and having heard of Jigsaw before I decided that whatever I did would be to support them.’

‘I had a very difficult time when I was a teen with my mental health, so what Jigsaw does is close to me and it might have made such a difference for me to have something like Jigsaw there to help. I was also hoping that being upfront and honest about my own difficulties might help others.’

Where did you come up with the idea of walking 1000km for Jigsaw?
‘The end of 2016, right up to the summer of 2017 I really went through some dark days… Well, months more than days to be honest.’

‘It was really just a bad time. I was down, I was out, I felt worthless and that I had utterly failed in life. Suddenly, I got hit with a spark of inspiration and I let that grow and it conceptualised itself into a challenge, a mountain challenge at that. There was a number of mountains I wanted to climb, so I decided to get them done before the summer was finished. Now as that spark grew I said to myself, 'Why not make YouTube videos about my journey?’’

‘I was literally challenging myself to do something totally different because I didn’t want to be sitting in my parents’ home jobless, feeling worthless and giving up on life. I wanted to change my life and to become a better happier me.’

What other interests do you have?
‘I’m like a sponge for knowledge and many things interest me. I love learning new things all the time. Podcasts are wonderful for that, whether it be psychology, history, cosmology... there’s so much. And I love hiking, even after 1000km in 40 days!’

I was also hoping that being upfront and honest about my own difficulties might help others.

Michael Quinn, Jigsaw Supporter.

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