The New York City-based Greek America Foundation has announced its 2019 Summer Service Learning program which will take approximately 20 young North Americans to Greece to volunteer for a month with vulnerable children.

Following successful programs in Athens with The Home Project, a network of shelters for unaccompanied refugee minors, the foundation will partner with Metadrasi, another reputable Greek charity which provides various services and support for displaced people, asylum seekers and refugees.

The 2019 summer program will take place in the island of Chios, where volunteers will work with Metadrasi staff to support educational, recreational and arts and cultural projects that support youth refugees.

Most expenses are covered for the July 1-31, 2019 program.

Gregory Pappas, founder and president of the Greek America Foundation, said the youth program was the most important project of the 12-year-old organization, which has raised and given millions of dollars in scholarships and internships for young people and organized numerous cultural events throughout the nation.

“Young people today, call them millennials, call them gen x-ers, call them whatever you want, they want meaningful experiences and we’re giving them just that,” Pappas said, adding that the refugee community remains the most popular humanitarian space in which young people want to volunteer.

“We don’t arbitrarily decide to volunteer with refugees, but it’s an honor to help these displaced people who are fleeing hardship, war and poverty — much like our own parents and grandparents fled when they came to North America,” Pappas said. “Young people actually choose with surveys to gauge their interest.”

Program applicants must be between ages 18-25 but do not need to be enrolled in college nor in possession of a college degree.

For full details and the application, click here.