A new grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation opens the doors of nursery schools, kindergartens and day-care centers to 3,555 children across the country

The Board of Directors of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, in response to recent and continuous calls from the public seeking help in order to give the opportunity to 3,555 children across Greece to enroll in nursery schools, kindergartens, day-care and creative learning centers, during the 2013-2014 academic year, approved a new grant, totaling €4.5 million. The grant will enable 3,555 children, who are not covered by the recent initiative by the Ministry of the Interior and the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government, to enroll in the country’s nursery schools and day-care centers, providing working parents, many of whom are suffering the consequences of the crisis, with a much-needed break.

The Ministry of the Interior had announced, a few days ago, its intention to cover the current school year’s cost of enrollment for all children in nursery schools and day-care centers across the country. In the last few days, however, we have received numerous messages from parents, informing us that the program cannot cover a large number of additional eligible children who wish to enroll, and asking for the Foundation’s help so that they may be included. Following discussions with the Ministry, this need has been confirmed.

Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of the Board of Directors of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, made the following statement: “We feel happy, but also fortunate, that the generosity of our Founder, Stavros Niarchos, allows us, once again, to help with a critical issue, and to be present where our presence is essential. We hope that our decision will provide relief for many families.”

The grant is part of the Foundation’s three-year (2012-2015) initiative to commit €100,000,000, in addition to its regular activities in Greece and all over the world, in order to provide relief from the effects of the socioeconomic crisis. It comes after the €4.5 million grant made in the fall of 2012, when the Foundation provided, once again, support for nursery schools, kindergartens and day-care centers all across Greece, enabling the enrolment of an additional 3,000 children who would, in the absence of this grant, have been excluded from the program.