Initiative Against the Greek Crisis – New Grants by the SNF in the Areas of Health and Social Welfare
These grants are approved beyond the regular and continuing philanthropic activities of the Foundation in Greece and around the world, and serve as a testament to the SNF’s commitment to continue to offer, to the extent of its abilities, emergency support to vulnerable groups that are affected the most by the Greek crisis. These particular areas (Health, Social Welfare) have been significantly affected due to the prolonged socioeconomic crisis, with serious implications for our fellow citizens.
The latest cycle of grants is part of the SNF’s Second Initiative Against the Greek Crisis. The aim of the initiative is to contribute to the immediate relief of social groups mostly affected by the adverse effects of the socioeconomic crisis in Greece.
Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, said: “The critical areas of Health and Social Welfare have been severely affected during the crisis in Greece. Our latest grants aim to create programs which will in turn help to substantially improve the everyday lives and future prospects of our fellow citizens in need.”
Following is a description of the Foundation’s latest grants, by program area:
New grants for the support of services and health structures in Greece
•Program for the provision of medical supplies in 5 public hospitals across the country: The grant, totaling €750,000, supports a pilot program for the provision of medical supplies to five public hospitals, in order to help address critical deficiencies of the National Health System (ESY) across the whole country. Initially, the grant will cover the cost of basic medical supplies for hospitals, for a period of three months, in order to address the operational and financial shortcomings created by the crisis and the imposition of capital controls (i.e. liquidity problems, pause in the supply of necessary resources, etc.). The selection of hospitals was based on the number of patients they serve, as well as on the size of the geographic area they cover. This new program is expected to provide support to patients, but also to the medical-nursing staff of hospitals, by offering instant access to necessary medical resources. Provided that the results of the pilot program are positive, the Foundation may consider the program’s extension.
•Grant to the Anticancer-Oncology Hospital ‘Agios Savvas’ (Athens) for the purchase of medical equipment for the Department of Cytology: This grant will enable the replacement of obsolete microscopes with six (6) new digital, state-of-the-art instruments, which will provide faster and more accurate diagnostic results, thus radically improve the operation of the hospital’s Department of Cytology. This upgrade is expected to significantly benefit approximately 20,000 patients of the Cytology Department, on an annual basis, as well as the medical staff of the Department, given that they will receive training in using these state-of-the-art microscopes.
•Grant to the General Hospital ‘Asklipiio Voula’ for the complete renovation of the patients’ wing ‘Nikoloudeio C’: The grant will fund the complete renovation of the patients’ wing ‘Nikoloudeio C’, which predominantly accommodates the heavy surgical cases of the Hospital’s Neurosurgery/Urology/General Surgery Clinic. This grant will cover all costs for the building renovation of the clinic, for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing works, and for the supply of medical and paramedical equipment. It is noted that the General Hospital ‘Asklipiio Voula’ is the only Public General Hospital operating in the south of Attica, covering the medical needs of approximately 1,500,000 residents.
•Grant to the Institute of Child Health for the purchase of diagnostic equipment to cover the needs of the Preventive Neonatal Program: The Institute of Child Health implements the preventive screening program for all newborns in Greece, while simultaneously conducting research and training seminars for pediatrics professionals. The Foundation’s grant pertains to the replacement of old devices with new, state-of-the-art, high-precision equipment.
•Grant to ‘Nestor’ Psychogeriatric Association for the support of the Home Care Assistance Program, geared to seniors with dementia and financial problems: The grant supports the ‘Home Care Assistance’ program for the next 2 years. The program is implemented by the Psychogeriatric Association ‘Nestor’, serving approximately 160 individuals aged over 65, suffering from dementia or similar conditions (i.e. Alzheimer’s) whilst facing serious financial problems. Through this program, patients are provided with comprehensive care services (medical examinations, customization of the home environment according to each patient’s individual needs, etc.). At the same time, family members are trained by the organization’s staff, via weekly meetings or teleconferencing, in order to be able to properly care for their patient-relative.
New grants for the support of Social Welfare programs, focusing on the needs of vulnerable children in Greece
•New grant to SOS Children’s Villages Greece, to partially support the operation of the organization’s centers in Athens, Thessaloniki and Piraeus, and the creation of two new centers in Peristeri and Ioannina: Having provided substantial support to the seven (7) Family Support Centers operated by SOS Children’s Villages across the country (Athens, Kalamata, Alexandroupoli, Komotini, Iraklio, Piraeus and Thessaloniki), the Foundation approves a new grant towards the organization, with a dual objective: on the one hand, to strengthen the operation of the Centers in Athens, Thessaloniki and Piraeus by covering costs for hiring additional personnel and, on the other hand, to create two new Centers in Peristeri and Ioannina, two particularly vulnerable areas, in an effort to further enhance the organization’s activities. The grant will allow the SOS Children’s Villages and the Family Support Centers to offer help to even more families and children in need, assisting 1,260 families across the country.
•Grant to ‘Friendly Nest’ to support operational costs and food supplies: The ‘Friendly Nest’ community center supports children and adolescents from low-income families, single-parent families, and families with social problems or long-term unemployment, living in the wider area of Thriasio. The Foundation’s grant will cover the organization’s operational costs and the cost of hiring four additional employees, for the next 2 years, as well as the cost of food supplies so that the organization may continue to provide daily meals to the children it looks after. This grant is expected to help approximately 800 children and parents in need.
•Grant to ‘Our Big Home’ to support construction and equipment needs: ‘Our Big Home’ is a new nonprofit organization in Greece, which aims to create the first child and parenthood center in Greece for children up to 3 years old, and promotes children’s socialization and the notion of maternity, providing its services free of charge. The Foundation’s grant will support construction services of the venue offered by the Municipality of Athens, in order to house the organization’s services, as well as the purchase of necessary equipment, enabling the start of its operation.