Applications open for Greek America Corps summer 2024

Why this program?

From Gregory C. Pappas, President & Founder

Offering young adults in our community the opportunity to transform themselves while serving others — and supporting Greece — is a pivotal ideal of the Greek America Foundation. Since we launched our first summer volunteer program in 2017, dozens of North Americans have had life-changing experiences offering their time and talents to humanitarian causes in Greece while immersing themselves in local society and culture. Our goal is to continue this program for years to come to ensure that more young people have transformative experiences and continue spreading the values of philanthropy, volunteerism and service.

Applications Open for Summer 2024 Volunteer Programs in Greece

January 10, 2024

The Greek America Foundation accepted applications for our Greek America Corps summer 2024 volunteer programs in Greece.

Following five successful summers since launching the program in 2017, we are proud to make Greek America Corps one of our most important initiatives and continue its growth.

The 2024 season consists of 4 separate programs – one in Athens, one in the city of Thessaloniki, one on the island of Chios, and one in Hania, on the island of Crete — each with a 2 week duration. The program dates are as follows:

Athens (Serving Vulnerable Communities in Athens)
Dates: June 8 – June 23, 2024 (2 weeks)

Thessaloniki (Serving Vulnerable Communities in Thessaloniki)
Dates: June 29 – July 14, 2024 (2 weeks)

Chios (Serving Vulnerable Communities on Chios)
Dates: July 27 – Aug 11, 2024 (2 weeks)

Hania (Environmental Volunteer Program in Hania)
Dates: September 23 – October 8, 2024 (2 weeks)

Each program has a specific mission and involves working with our Greek charity partners addressing diverse issues and serving various vulnerable population groups: Homelessness, food insecurity, unaccompanied refugee minors, disenfranchised youth and environmentalism, among others.

There are three primary aspects to this initiative:

(1) Participants are exposed to the ideals of service, volunteerism and philanthropy — core ideals of the Greek America Foundation’s mission.

(2) Participants support our charity partners serving the most vulnerable population groups in Greece, which has recently endured financial and humanitarian crises — not to mention the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

(3) Finally, our volunteers are exposed to modern Greek life and society through unique and immersive cultural experiences.

Watch our volunteers speak about their experiences participating in this program:

Summer 2024 program details

Our Greek America Corps programs consist of numerous volunteer duties but also include cultural immersion experiences such as excursions to historic, religious or otherwise significant sites — as well as local celebrations and festivities.

For each program, we have partnered with accredited non-profit organizations or local government officials in Greece who will host our volunteer teams.

For volunteers who require financial aid, we offer scholarships for qualifying applicants to participate in these programs. Scholarships cover the cost of housing, program expenses such as cultural excursions, local transportation and various group meals. Airfare to Greece is not included.

Applicants who do not require financial aid may also opt to pay for their package. Regardless of application type (i.e. scholarship or paid), participants must first apply and be accepted into the program to participate.

Some of our 2024 volunteer programs also offer students the option to accrue college credit that can be applied to their studies at their home institution via our partnership with the Hellenic American University, a U.S.-accredited institution of higher education in Athens. Students must pay additional fee for this option. Price is available upon inquiry.

Students are responsible for checking with their home institutions about transfer of credits. A counselor at Hellenic American University will be made available to assist, as will a curriculum and coursework. Applicants may specify in their application if they wish to receive this credit.

Application deadline: February 29, 2024

Support our program

Greek America Corps has been supported over the years by companies, institutions and individuals who understand the significance of instilling the ideals of service and volunteerism in future leaders of our community.

Donate today to help us sustain this program and provide transformative experiences for young North Americans while immersing them in real-world humanitarian challenges.

Interested in sponsoring a student? Various options are available. Click here to learn more.

About our past programs

July 2017, Athens: 10 volunteers spent three weeks supporting The HOME Project, a network of shelters for unaccompanied refugee minors.

July 2019, Chios: 16 volunteers spent the month supporting METAdrasi, a non-profit organization offering support, education and other vital services to unaccompanied refugee minors.

August 2020, Athens: Six volunteers supported the work of various organizations including METAdrasi, Emfasis Foundation and Kivotos Tou Kosmou (Ark of the World).

Summer 2021, Athens & Chios: Three volunteer teams and a total of 27 young adults spent three weeks each supporting the Greek Council for Refugees, Boroume, Emfasis Foundation, we4all, METAdrasi and Kivotos Tou Kosmou (Ark of the World).

Summer 2022, in addition to our established programs in Athens and Chios, we expanded programming to Thessaloniki this year and partnered with Elpida Home and the American Farm School.

Summer 2023, we offered various volunteer experiences in Athens, Thessaloniki and Chios, supporting local municipalities, and respectful organizations such as METAdrasi, Greek Council for Refugees, The Nursing Home of Athens, Elpida Home, and many more.

The 2021 Athens volunteer team met with U.S. Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt, a longtime supporter of our Greek America Corps program.

Testimonials from past volunteers

I would say that this program has been one of the most important steps I’ve taken in my life… It’s kind of motivated me a little bit more to want to offer my services to the world and to offer help to those who are less fortunate – to those who need it.

This program has given me an education that simply cannot be taught in a classroom. After five years of attending undergraduate and graduate school, I knew something was still missing… While my path isn’t exactly clear moving forward, this program has allowed me to realize that my passion for helping those in need exists as strongly as ever.

I think these programs are very, very beneficial to open the eyes of the youth to be able to bring these experiences back to their communities and back to their towns and spread the message of ‘philanthropia,’ and to be a good person and to help — to give to those less fortunate.

This program has affected me in so many ways. It has broadened my perspective more than any school studies or anything really ever could… And it has affected me on an emotional scale — so much. The people that I’m working with in the program have really made all the difference in my life and I will carry all of it back to America with me.

If you’re thinking about joining this program, I would say “Do it.” It is incredibly fulfilling to be of service to others and the people that you will meet and the connections that you will make will leave a big mark on your soul in ways that you can’t even imagine.

My experience with the kids has been life-changing. I’ve formed bonds with these kids through the weekend activities and seeing them every day. Frankly, I feel like these kids are my equals and friends. I will never forget this experience.

This program for me personally was a life-changer. I think it has really defined who I am and what I want to do with the rest of my life. I think the people I worked with are great. They’re phenomenal. Everybody really poured their heart and soul into this project and into the kids.

I have zero regrets about taking this kind of leap of faith and joining the program. It’s been just an amazing opportunity, life-changing and extremely humbling and I would encourage anyone who is even remotely thinking about it to go for it.

What I’ve learned in terms of gratitude, in terms of being able to make connections with people… can really go a long way in not only working with kids, not only working with vulnerable populations, not even in a volunteer setting; it can go a long way in our personal lives with other Americans and with other people.

Having the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of volunteers has truly been a life-changing experience. Working with volunteers from all backgrounds and personalities with a focus on this united cause to help these kids be kids, even for a moment, allowed our group of volunteers to quickly become a family.

Watch the recap from our 2021 programs

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