ATHENS – [Photo Credit: Stavros Tsakiridis]
For yet another Easter, the Hellenic Relief Foundation, their partner organization, and the Social Committee of the Athenian Society ensured that beneficiaries of the monthly distributions had all the basics for the Easter holiday table.
Starting on Holy Monday, the distribution of packages began containing the usual basic food items, as well as lamb, eggs, tsourekia, and sodas to organizations, foundations, and some 380 beneficiary families and individuals.
Among the beneficiary organizations were the Mutual Assistance Fund of the Association of Greek Actors (ΤΑΣΕΗ), the St. Nicholas Foundation for children with special needs, the Christodoulio Orphanage in Aigaleo, Attica, and the Meropeio Nursing Home of Athens, along with their care wing for elderly women. By Holy Thursday, the distribution out of the organization’s headquarters in Thiseio had concluded, with 60 packages also sent for distribution to Corfu.
The Easter distribution was made possible by the efforts of the H.R.F., however one of its board members, Kostas Zachariadis, made the generous offer to personally and fully cover the costs of the lamb. Mr. Zachariadis was present throughout the distributions, exchanging wishes with the beneficiaries. Also in attendance was the President of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Athens and the President of the Athenian Society, Mr. Eleftherios G. Skiadas, as well as Ms. Saki Kypraiou, the longtime secretary of the former Prime Minister of Greece Konstantinos Mitsotakis.
The special holiday distribution, along with the other monthly ones, to support our fellow Greek citizens in need is made possible with the support of the omogenia and the volunteers in Athens, who spare no monetary expense or effort to ensure that nothing is missing. From the beginning of this over a decade long effort, ensuring that all protocols and standards are met in this transparent charitable work is Ms. Maria Siourdi, director of the H.R.F’s partner organization, who along with the tireless volunteers Antonia Pantouvaki, Soula Belli, Aggeliki Chionou, and Emy Spanou have contributed in their own way to the efforts of the omogenia, and have also brought new supporters to this monthly endeavor.
Despite the efforts of the omogenia through the H.R.F,. its partner organization, and its donors, and despite the upward economic trend in Greece, the effects of that growth are not yet overtly visible, and rates of both poverty and unemployment remain high. Along with the aforementioned groups doing their part to tackle this problem, the following companies also showed their support in this distribution and others: N. Konstantopoulou Group, Miami-based Italkraft and Ms. Eirini Xakousti, Agrovim, Kamilaris AEBE – Ariston Butter, FrieslandCampina, Coca-Cola 3E, Karamolegos AEBE, Arla Foods, Food Bank, Barba Stathis, and Tottis-Bingo.
ABOUT HELLENIC RELIEF FOUNDATION
The Hellenic Relief Foundation Inc. is a non- profit organization (501(c)3) and was founded in 2012, with the goal of raising funds in the United States to be used towards the purchase of food items, and other basic necessities for the underprivileged in Greece that have increased in numbers due to the current crisis. To date, around 850,000 dollars have been remitted, and with donations within Greece, as well as volunteered social and medicinal services, the true value of the aid is roughly 1.5 million dollars. The expenses of the HRF are covered by board members. For more information: www.hellenicrelief.org
