The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America announced in a recent press release that that over $750,000 has been raised to provide support and long-term assistance to the many individuals and businesses that have suffered as a result of the devastating fires in Greece.
According to the Archdiocese statement, over $300,000 has been collected from individuals and parishes, including online fundraising efforts.
Leadership 100 has provided a $200,000 matching grant which has been met, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate have pledged a $50,000 matching gift which has been met, and the Archdiocese is contributing $200,000 from available restricted funds.
In addition, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), which has partnered with the Archdiocese to identify specific needs and distribute the funds collected, has deployed staff to begin the “needs assessment” in Attica and Evia.
IOCC staff are scheduling meetings with community leaders, impacted population, shelters, Church and government officials and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are present in the effected regions, as well as several others.
The “needs assessment” process is expected to take approximately two weeks and is a critical part of the response, as it identifies vulnerable populations and points of contact for coordination, access and procurement. If the team discovers urgent needs during the assessment process, that will be prioritized for immediate review and consideration.
This crucial “needs assessment” will allow the Archdiocese and IOCC to better understand the context of the fires. The team will look at issues including, but not limited to: categories and number of vulnerable groups impacted (elderly, persons with disabilities and others); existing assistance being provided by the government or other NGOs; security and safety issues that may impact access to service delivery; emergency shelter and transitional housing issues; and other basic needs related to agriculture, water, sanitation and nutrition.
Once finalized, the “needs assessment” results will shape the Archdiocese and IOCC’s short, medium- and long-term response to ensure quality programming and compliance with local and international humanitarian standards.
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