Athens, October 21, 2017
Photo: Romfea The charitable organization “Apostoli” of the holy Archdiocese of Athens of the Greek Orthodox Church, together with the Masoutis supermarket chain, is continuing its program of offering parcels of food to economically vulnerable families in the border area of Thrace and Ioannina. 2,764 people have benefited from mission in October so far, offering relief to hundreds of Greek households, reports Romfea.
The program aims to provide 1,040 families in Alexandroupolis, Didymoteicho, Orestiada, Ioannina, and Chalkida with necessary food every month. Beneficiaries are selected by criteria established by Apostoli.
Additionally, the social grocery in the name of Papa Stratis helped meet the primary survival needs of 200 families in Lesvos. Papa Stratis was a much-loved priest who founded the NGO Agalia (Embrace) which offered comfort and medical assistance to the thousands of migrants and refugees in Lesvos. He departed to the Lord on September 2, 2015.
Apostoli General Manager Konstantinos Dimtsas stressed, “We know that young families are facing serious survival problems every day. The crisis, unfortunately, is here! It is no surprise that the problems are intense and the situation is just as painful in the provinces. The number of requests for help illustrates the real dimension of waiting and expectation for meaningful help… Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and Apostoli are making every effort as far as is possible, to be with the Greeks who are suffering.”
Apostoli’s work in the borderlands is also being supported by Aegean Airlines. The missions arm of the Greek Orthodox Church has also teamed with the American charity Internal Orthodox Christian Charities to provide dry food parcels, support a soup kitchen feeding 1,200 people a day, and provide 500 schoolchildren with basic school supplies.
