The Hellenic Initiative Australia and The Hellenic Initiative Canada are pleased to announce a new grant to Desmos Non-Profit Foundation totalling $20,000.
This grant to Desmos Non-Profit Foundation (Desmos) is the result of the joint End of Year Global Appeal by THI Australia and THI Canada in response to the growing level of food insecurity faced by many families in Greece.
“We were delighted to partner with THI Australia for the End of Year Global Appeal for Greece. THI Australia is a trusted and well-respected partner who shares our mission and passion to support the wellbeing of people in need in Greece. We thank our Australian friends for working with THI Canada to jointly support the good work of DESMOS and we look forward to future collaborations”, said Tula Alexopoulos, Director and Grants Committee Chair, THI Canada.
This grant will ensure that more than 400 families, approximately 1,340 individuals, who are registered with the social grocery of Salamina in Attica and the social grocery of Thermo in Aitoloakarnia will receive care packages containing condensed milk, rice, lentils, beans, chick peas, pasta products, tomato juice, tuna fish and meatballs for two months.
The social groceries are run by individual municipalities and beneficiaries must demonstrate that their annual income is below €5,251 in order to receive food relief.
“THI Australia is heartened to see like-minded members of the Greek diaspora in Australia and Canada come together to support the first jointly held End of Year Appeal for Greece. Every gift, small and large, will make a difference to the beneficiaries of the Desmos Food-Aid program we have chosen to support”, said THI Australia’s President, Nick G Pappas, AM.
Desmos, a non-profit foundation founded in 2012, has partnered with both THI Australia and THI Canada on numerous projects and was one of THI Australia’s first grant recipients in 2015. THI Canada most recently collaborated with Desmos to provide relief to families affected by the wildfires in Greece in 2021.
“We were honoured to have been selected as the beneficiary organisation of the first joint appeal held by THI Australia & THI Canada. Your trust gives Desmos motivation to continue to inspire giving every day to change the lives of those in need”, said Alexia Katsaounis, President, Desmos.
The Hellenic Initiative Canada Partners with 9 Other Foundations on the Points of Support Program: Small Grants, Big Ideas
Toronto – The Hellenic Initiative Canada joins nine reputable and well-established foundations in Greece to launch the 6th cycle of the Points of Support Program. Since the launch of the Program in 2015, 119 small grants were provided to start-up, non-profit organizations in Greece delivering initiatives benefiting over 40,000 people across Greece.
The Program provides small grants for big ideas, supporting organizations with innovative small-scale initiatives that have significant social impact for the benefit of society, the environment, and vulnerable groups. To ensure the continued success and sustainability of participating organizations that receive grants of 5,000 euros each, the Program provides training, access to professionals, mentoring, networking opportunities and other capacity-building tools to ensure long-term growth.
The 10 foundations that are collaborating in the 6th cycle of the Points of Support Program are: The Hellenic Initiative Canada, Ioannis S. Latsis Charitable Foundation, TIMA Charitable Foundation, Bodossaki Foundation, Captain Vassilis & Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, A. G. Leventis Foundation, Athanasios K. Laskaridis Foundation, Costas M. Lemos Foundation, KIKPE Social and Cultural Foundation, and the Athena I. Martinou Foundation. The Bodossaki Foundation acts as the Program coordinator and the provider of capacity-building, through its Social Dynamo Program.
The new cycle of the Points of Support Program will support 39 organizations operating in areas that deliver: food aid; support and social integration for people with disabilities; support for seniors; healthcare for children and other vulnerable groups; and initiatives in environmental protection. The Hellenic Initiative Canada will support three organizations to deliver initiatives to combat poverty by providing food aid to those in need in Greece.
Tula Alexopoulos, Chair of THI Canada’s Grants Committee, expressed support for the Points of Support Program, noting that “The Hellenic Initiative Canada is proud to partner with 9 foundations in Greece to empower non-profit organizations to benefit Greek society”.
More information about the 6th cycle of the Points of Support Program can be found here.
Δέκα κοινωφελή ιδρύματα της Ελλάδας ενώνουν τις δυνάμεις τους για την υποστήριξη της Κοινωνίας των Πολιτών και ανακοινώνουν δημόσια πρόσκληση για συμμετοχή στον 6ο χρηματοδοτικό κύκλο του προγράμματος «Σημεία Στήριξης».
Τα «Σημεία Στήριξης» απευθύνονται σε μικρές οργανώσεις της Κοινωνίας των Πολιτών στην Ελλάδα, τις οποίες υποστηρίζουν στην υλοποίηση πρωτότυπων δράσεων μικρής κλίμακας και μέγιστου κοινωνικού αντίκτυπου, στην ενδυνάμωση των δομών τους καθώς και στην ανάπτυξη ικανοτήτων που θα συμβάλουν στη βιωσιμότητά τους.
Για τον νέο κύκλο του προγράμματος, το οποίο ξεκίνησε το 2015 και έχει χρηματοδοτήσει 119 δράσεις, με περισσότερους από 40.000 ωφελούμενους, συμπράττουν το Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα Ιωάννη Σ. Λάτση, το ΤΙΜΑ Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα, το Ίδρυμα Μποδοσάκη, το Ίδρυμα Καπετάν Βασίλη & Κάρμεν Κωνσταντακόπουλου, το Ίδρυμα Α. Γ. Λεβέντη, το Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα Αθανάσιος Κ. Λασκαρίδης, το Costas M. Lemos Foundation, το Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα Κοινωνικού και Πολιτιστικού έργου ΚΙΚΠΕ, το Hellenic Initiative Canada και το Ίδρυμα Αθηνάς Ι. Μαρτίνου.
Τα «Σημεία Στήριξης» απευθύνονται σε μικρές οργανώσεις της Κοινωνίας των Πολιτών στην Ελλάδα, τις οποίες υποστηρίζουν στην υλοποίηση πρωτότυπων δράσεων μικρής κλίμακας και μέγιστου κοινωνικού αντίκτυπου, στην ενδυνάμωση των δομών τους καθώς και στην ανάπτυξη ικανοτήτων που θα συμβάλουν στη βιωσιμότητά τους.
Για τον νέο κύκλο του προγράμματος, το οποίο ξεκίνησε το 2015 και έχει χρηματοδοτήσει 119 δράσεις, με περισσότερους από 40.000 ωφελούμενους, συμπράττουν το Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα Ιωάννη Σ. Λάτση, το ΤΙΜΑ Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα, το Ίδρυμα Μποδοσάκη, το Ίδρυμα Καπετάν Βασίλη & Κάρμεν Κωνσταντακόπουλου, το Ίδρυμα Α. Γ. Λεβέντη, το Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα Αθανάσιος Κ. Λασκαρίδης, το Costas M. Lemos Foundation, το Κοινωφελές Ίδρυμα Κοινωνικού και Πολιτιστικού έργου ΚΙΚΠΕ, το Hellenic Initiative Canada και το Ίδρυμα Αθηνάς Ι. Μαρτίνου.
THI Canada’s collaboration with the Cerebral Palsy Greece Open Door in the implementation of the ‘’Safe Nourishment’’ program continues for another year. The $30.000 program is aimed at 75 children with cerebral palsy, who study at Porta Aonichti and aims to provide them with proper nutrition, according to the personal needs of each child.
Cerebral Palsy Greece was founded in 1972 in response to a pressing need for the care of people suffering from cerebral palsy in Greece. CPG never isolates itself, nor the people in its care. On the contrary, it has sought to raise the barriers and build the bridges that will ensure that disabled people are incorporated into the normal society of their fellow men and women.
THI Canada has successfully collaborated with CPG since 2020.
In a year of change and uncertainty and guided by a purpose to make an impact that matters, THI Canada continued to be by the side of the Greek families throughout 2022 and celebrated many firsts. Specifically, 2022 saw THI Canada’s first Scholarship program, expanded its established programs to new remote Greek regions and responded to global emergencies, such as the flux of incoming Ukrainian refugees in Greece. Moreover, THI Canada made conscious efforts to establish institutions, such as the Toronto Economic Forum, that promote synergies between Canada and Greece and seeks to create a space for collaborations that will hopefully have a positive impact in the future.
Programs
Despite the challenges of the past couple of years, THIC’s programs grew even further in 2022 and, in addition to supporting Greek families and vulnerable groups, they also drew on the collective experiences of the elderly communities in Greece and focused on raising awareness of the deplorable living conditions many are faced with. THIC is dedicated to its mission now more than ever.
THIC expanded its partnership with HOPEgenesis to include the island of Folegandros in addition to Kasos, Iraklia and Ag. Efstratios. Over the past two years, THIC has worked together with the Greek NGO to help families on remote Greek islands welcome their babies. Most of these remote communities face a shortage of doctors, health workers, and medical equipment. THIC’s program has provided many women with the support and encouragement they need to help them throughout their pregnancies, as they are monitored by doctors and trained professionals through specialized equipment and facilitated transportation to hospitals when required. The program also takes care of all costs associated with testing, exams, and medical procedures, so that expectant families can focus on what matters most. To date, the program has welcomed nine babies on the islands of Kasos, Agios Efstratios and Folegandros, while 4 more babies are expected in early 2023.
For the third consecutive year, THIC stayed by the side of seniors that live alone or require special care through the Intervention for the 60+ program with Doctors of the World Greece and TIMA Charitable Foundation. Initially, the scope of the program was to help seniors over 60 years of age and protect them from the coronavirus. Over the years, the program has helped more than 800 people receive both physical and psychological care from trained professionals who visit them at their homes. The program also offers psychosocial support through the ”Online Championship Program”, which connects individuals and invites them to share their experiences through a virtual friends group, and has a team dedicated to assisting beneficiaries with most of their daily needs. The Intervention for the 60+ program was publicly acknowledged and praised for the work it has done for the senior population at a ceremony in June 2022 with representatives of the Greek government.
Moreover, THIC’s Diatrofi program with Prolepsis Institute provided 8,849 meals to 281 students that attended seven schools in the areas of Rhodopi, Evros and Xanthi.
Finally, for the fourth year, THI Canada with the generous support of the Ifandis family, renewed the Giannitsa Soup Kitchen program – ”Meal of Love” -. The soup kitchen that is led by Father Spyridis and his team of devoted volunteers operates daily to provide meals to over 120 people in the local community of Giannitsa. Moreover, THIC’s Diatrofi program with Prolepsis .
Campaigns
In 2022, THI Canada continued to effectively respond to humanitarian emergencies. In February, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in a massive flux of Ukrainian refugees entering the European Union in search of a safe refuge from the military conflict. It has caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II. THI Canada worked with Doctors of the World Greece and set up the ”Humanitarian Emergency Relief Fund for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Greece” to provide humanitarian aid, medical support, and other services for Ukrainians in Greece. The campaign managed to raise over 40,000$ which went towards hundreds of families resettling and getting their new start in Greece.
Furthermore, THI Canada and THI Australia responded to the significant increase of people living on the verge of poverty in Greece and collaborated for the first time for their joint ”End of Year Global Appeal for Greece” in support of impoverished families in Greece with the ever-increasing cost of living. For this effort, THIC teamed up with DESMOS, to help cover food needs. The campaign managed to raise $20.000 jointly, which will go towards helping families by providing them with basic food items. This first global campaign paved the way for future THI collaborations that will unite Greeks of the diaspora and help produce a significant impact for our causes. Speaking of the campaign, Stergitsa Zamagias-Hill, CEO of THI Australia said: ”THI Australia is delighted to be joining forces with THI Canada to unite the Greek diaspora to support families experiencing hardship in Greece.”
Events
As the world is slowly returning to normality following two years of uncertainty, THI Canada celebrated by bringing people together again in its events. In March, THI Canada hosted the webinar ‘’Who Owns History?’’ which featured Geoffrey Robertson, author of the book Who Owns History? Elgin’s Loot and the Case for Returning Plundered Treasure as its guest speaker. Robertson, who is a prominent human rights barrister, academic and broadcaster, discussed the controversial case for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, the current international views on the matter, and whether there is hope that the marbles will return to their rightful home.
THI Canada also partnered with the Delphi Economic Forum of Greece for the inaugural Toronto Economic Forum, a conference that brought together government and business representatives from Greece and Canada. The forum, which will be hosted annually, promoted Greek – Canadian trade and investment ties. It welcomed discussions with a special focus on foreign investments and trade partnerships. The speakers also discussed potential collaborations and business opportunities in both Canada and Greece, especially in the fields of tourism, pharmaceuticals, technology, renewable energy and the mineral resources sectors.
Keynote speakers included Nikos Papathanasis, Alternate Minister of Investments and Development of the Hellenic Republic, Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada and Prem Watsa, President and CEO of FairFax Financial Holdings Limited. The forum was further attended by leaders from the Greek and Canadian Governments, the business sector, and representatives.
THI Canada also hosted a networking reception as part of the forum. The ‘’THI Canada Connecting and Connected’’ was kindly sponsored by Peter and Paul’s hospitality group at the Petros 82 venue. According to Nikos Papathanasis, the Toronto Economic Forum ‘’is a great opportunity to promote business and other relationships between Greece and Canada.’’
Finally, THI Canada’s co-President John Sotos called attention to the importance of forming a promising future for Greece-Canada relations: ‘’We brought together an impressive array of leaders from the Greek and Canadian governments and businesses to promote mutually advantageous relations between the two countries.’’
Lastly, on December 19th, THIC New Leaders had their first Christmas Party at Belfast Love in Toronto. For this event, the New Leaders were joined by New Leaders’ Ambassador Marissa Papakonstantinou, Paralympic medalist, who gave an inspiring speech on leadership and empowerment.
According to one of the New Leaders, Yonida Koukio, “the event was an excellent opportunity to bring people together again following a very difficult pandemic and also network and create new opportunities for collaboration for the benefit of Greece.’’
Lastly, THI Canada had an important impact in the field of education too. THI Canada in partnership with the University of Toronto School of Music launched the 2023 THI Canada Graduate Scholarship in Music. The $40,000/year Scholarship is co-funded by THI Canada and the University of Toronto Faculty of Music with the kind support of the Mirkopoulos Family.
The scholarship was awarded to Menelaos Peistikos who expressed his gratitude to both THI Canada and the University of Toronto for the opportunity: ‘’It would be impossible for me to study at the UofT, it it wasn’t for your scholarship.’’
THI Canada would like to extend its gratitude to all of its donors and supporters, as well as volunteers as without their generosity and support, it wouldn’t have been able to provide prosperity to so many Greeks and create a new landscape for opportunities between Canada and Greece.
The Hellenic Initiative Canada and The Hellenic Initiative Australia have launched the End of Year Global Appeal for Greece to help provide a little joy and hope to Greek families in need this Christmas.
“THI Australia is delighted to be joining forces with THI Canada to unite the Greek diaspora to support families experiencing hardship in Greece,’’ said Stergitsa Zamagias-Hill, THI Australia’s Chief Executive Officer.
Similarly, THI Canada expressed its excitement to be partnering with THI Australia for the first time stating “The End of Year Global Appeal for Greece seeks to bring some warmth and happiness to the many Greek families struggling this holiday season. We are working together for the common good of these families and what better period to collaborate than the holiday season, which is the season of the giving.”
This Holiday Season Help Deliver Joy and Hope to Greek Families
The Hellenic Initiative Canada and The Hellenic Initiative Australia are launching their first joint appeal in support of impoverished families in Greece with the ever-increasing cost of living. For this effort, we are teaming up with DESMOS, a trusted partner charity in Greece, to help us reach and make a difference for underprivileged families in Greece that have difficulties to cover food needs and heating* costs.
According to a recent study by Poverty Watch Greece it is estimated that over 3 million people in Greece are living in dire conditions. One in four children live in a household at risk of poverty.
We invite you to support our efforts and help ease the worry and hardship for many Greek families this winter. Every donation, no matter how small or large, can make a difference.
About the campaign:
The Hellenic Initiative Canada and The Hellenic Initiative Australia is calling upon the Global Greek diaspora to help vulnerable families in Greece. All funds raised will be directed towards the purchase of basic food items and to cover heating costs* for people living marginally or below the poverty line, especially focusing on non-metropolitan areas in Greece. We include indicators below to demonstrate how your contribution can help out:
Donating $28 can cover Olive oil needs for a family for a 6-month period.
Donating $70 is estimated to cover the purchase of essential food items, such as such as lentils, beans, rice, tomato juice, pasta, evaporated milk, barley and rusks, for a 4-member family for a month’s supply.
Donating $140 can help cover the purchase of essential food items plus cereals, honey, dairy and fruits and vegetables for a 4-member family for a month’s supply.
We hope you consider joining us in this effort to combat food insecurity for Greek families during this difficult winter. You can select the amount of your donation from the options included in the form below:
Other Ways To Give
DONATE BY PHONE If you wish to donate by telephone, please contact our Donor Engagement Team at 1-416-572-7324. They will be happy to help with your donation.
DONATE BY MAIL If you wish to donate by cheque, please make your donation payable to The Hellenic Initiative Canada and mail to: The Hellenic Initiative Canada 800 Rue du Square-Victoria – Bureau 3700 Montreal, QC H4Z 1E9
TORONTO – The inaugural Toronto Economic Forum took place October 17-18 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel and hosted political, diplomatic, and business leaders from Canada and Greece. At the heart of presentations and discussions were common themes such as how synergies between the two countries can be promoted, the role of the Diaspora in the growth of Greek businesses, and how Canada and Greece can work closer together on a political level.
The forum opened with remarks from former Ambassador to Greece Robert Peck, who introduced Symeon Tsomokos, President of the Delphi Economic Forum, followed by John Sotos, co-President of The Hellenic Initiative Canada. Ambassador of Greece to Canada Konstantina Athanassiadou welcomed everyone and opened the main discussions. Alternate Minister of Development and Investments Nikos Papathanasis spoke on Greece’s economic performance over the past few years and its promising trajectory for the future.
Τώρα είναι η στιγμή με την μεγαλύτερη δυναμική για την ανάπτυξη των διμερών σχέσεων Ελλάδας-Καναδά, όπως τονίστηκε στην τοποθέτηση του Καναδού Υπουργού Καινοτομίας, Επιστήμης και Βιομηχανίας, François-Philippe Champagne, στο πλαίσιο του οικονομικού Φόρουμ του Τορόντο που πραγματοποιείται 17 και 18 Οκτωβρίου από το Οικονομικό Φόρουμ των Δελφών, παρουσία ηγετών από τους χώρους της πολιτικής, της διπλωματίας και της οικονομίας από την Ελλάδα και τον Καναδά και κυβερνητικών στελεχών των δύο χωρών.
“Με την κατάσταση που επικρατεί στην Ευρώπη, είναι η ώρα να κοιτάξουμε τις χώρες που παρέχουν αξιοπιστία, σταθερότητα και με τις οποίες μοιραζόμαστε τις ίδιες αξίες και πιστεύω ότι με αυτήν την έννοια, ο Καναδάς και η Ελλάδα μπορούν να κάνουν πολλά σε συνεργασία”, σημείωσε ο κ.Champagne. Ο Καναδός υπουργός αναφέρθηκε στην εμπορική συμφωνία ΕΕ-Καναδά (CETA) και τόνισε ότι η Ελλάδα και ο Καναδάς μπορούν να αναπτύξουν ακόμη πιο στενούς δεσμούς και νέες συνεργασίες αλλά και συμφωνίες που αφορούν στους τομείς της επιστήμης και της τεχνολογίας.
The Hellenic Initiative Canada
Montreal
3700 - 800 Place Victoria
Montreal, QC
H4Z 1E9 Canada
Toronto
180 Dundas St W
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Toronto, ON
M5G 1Z8
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