New York’s Hellenic Relief Foundation has completed its Easter distribution for the third consecutive year. HRF with donations from the Greek American community has ensured that Easter food and gifts were delivered to families struggling during this current economic crisis.
On Holy Monday clothing and footwear was distributed to 350 children, a donation from Ria Frangou, owner of the children’s stores Marazil and Mandarino.
Easter meal fixings were distributed on Holy Wednesday. This included a large bag of nonperishable food items; an entire, half, or one- quarter lamb according to the size of the household; two one and a half liter containers of orange juice; two bottles of wine, donated by the Boutari Vineyards; cheese; olives; butter; bread; and tsoureki.
Easter meals were distributed to 300 families in Athens, 20 individuals at the School for children with special needs in Pireaus, 24 to disadvantaged artists, 21 to families in certain very poor areas, 60 to families in Thessaloniki, and 15 to families in Spetses.
The Athens distribution was held at the Meropio Philanthropic Institution with the help of volunteers affiliated with the Hellenic Relief Foundation. Maria Siourdi who is in charge of the volunteers, oversaw this distribution.
The $25,000 cost of this Easter distribution will be raised through a concert in honor of the poet and lyricist Manos Eleftheriou, which will be held in Tenafly, NJ on Friday, May 2nd. Grigoris Maninakis accompanied by singer Stavroula Manolopoulou, and bouzouki soloist Christos Vidiniotis— both visiting from Greece for a series of concerts, and with the Microcosmos Ensemble will present well-known songs by Greek composers with the lyrics of Manos Eleftherriou.
The Hellenic Relief Foundation was founded in February, 2012 with the goal of raising funds in the United States to be used towards the purchase of food items, and basic necessities for the underprivileged in Greece. To date approximately $200,000 has been remitted with which approximately 135 tons of aid has been purchased and distributed.
