At the Greek America Foundation’s second annual Athens dinner on October 14, representatives of four partner organizations spoke about what Greek America Corps volunteers have meant to the communities they serve.
Their words offered something more powerful than a list of projects or statistics: a record of relationships built over time, of young people showing up when they were needed, and of acts of service that continue to make a difference long after the volunteers return home.
The following reflections are drawn directly from statements shared by our partners after A Night in the Cyclades.
Ronald McDonald House Greece: A Gift That Continues to Travel
Dafni Tsakyraki, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Greece, described how Greek America Corps volunteers cooked for families with hospitalized children, built outdoor furniture and brought warmth and energy into the House. One project—the organization’s first mobile lending library—continues to reach children and parents on hospital wards.
“From the very first moment, they brought incredible enthusiasm, creativity, and a genuine desire to help.
They cooked for our families. They built beautiful outdoor furniture from wooden pallets, transforming an ordinary space into a welcoming place to relax. And they made some of the best cookies I have ever tasted!
But beyond all that, they brought life into our House.
They brought laughter, joy, and that unique energy young people have when they truly believe in what they are doing. And for families going through one of the most difficult periods of their lives, even a simple conversation or a smile can change an entire day.”
Tsakyraki explained that not every parent can leave a hospitalized child’s bedside to visit the House. The volunteers responded by designing and building a library on wheels.
“A child surrounded by medical equipment can experience something wonderfully ordinary: the joy of choosing a story.
A parent who cannot leave their child’s bedside can feel that someone has thought of them and made the effort to come to them.
What to me is the most beautiful part of the story is that these young people have now returned to the US, to their studies, their jobs, and their everyday lives. But the library they created is still here. It continues to travel through the hospital, reaching families. And every time a child chooses a book or a parent finds a small moment of comfort, a piece of their generosity lives on.
They spent just a few days at our House. But the impact of their contribution continues to this day.”
— Dafni Tsakyraki, Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House Greece
Boroume: 35 Tonnes of Fresh Produce Saved Together
Kalliopi Mytilinaiou, Project Manager of Boroume at the Farmers’ Market, traced the relationship to 2013, when the Greek America Foundation supported Boroume in its earliest days. Beginning in 2021, Greek America Corps volunteers joined the organization’s work rescuing fresh fruits and vegetables for charities serving people in need.
“What makes your initial support so important and meaningful is that Greek America Foundation stood by us financially from the very first days, even before Boroume became Greece’s leading food-saving organization.
And then, in the summer of 2021, something beautiful happened: young adults from Greek America Corps started joining our Boroume at Farmers’ Market program as volunteers, dedicating part of their summer holidays to saving fresh fruits and vegetables and delivering them to charities that support people in need.
Every time farmers hear that young people are giving up part of their vacation time to support this mission, they are deeply moved. They admire their commitment and cannot thank them enough. And trust me, few things can touch the hearts of hard-working people like farmers more than seeing young people dedicate their time to helping others.
Together we saved 35 tonnes of fresh produce and words can hardly express our gratitude for your moral and practical support throughout all these years.”
— Kalliopi Mytilinaiou, Project Manager, Boroume at the Farmers’ Market
Emfasis Non-Profit: Standing Beside Vulnerable People During COVID
Maria Karra, Co-Founder of Emfasis Non-Profit, spoke about the people her organization serves—including those experiencing visible homelessness as well as working people without stable housing, students living in extreme poverty, abused women seeking safety and isolated older people facing eviction or inadequate lodging.
“I still have the strongest memory of the Greek America Corps student volunteers standing side by side with our teams during Covid, offering survival goods to homes, shelters, people on the streets, literally saving lives. Yes, I dare to say… saving lives during quarantine when they were the only ones present walking the streets with us.
I want to thank all of you here tonight for supporting the incredible work and efforts of Greg, Eleni and the entire family of GAC. I can assure you that they make a huge difference to vulnerable communities, so please help these incredibly selfless volunteers continue coming to Greece and doing this miracle work.”
— Maria Karra, Co-Founder, Emfasis Non-Profit
METAdrasi: Volunteer Support More Valuable Than Ever
Efpraxia “Efi” Nerantzaki of METAdrasi’s Education and Integration Department reflected on three summers working with Greek America Corps volunteers and the relationships they built with refugee and migrant communities on Chios.
“I’ve been working with GAC volunteers as part of my role at METAdrasi for the past three summers, so I’ve seen first-hand the impact this programme can have on the refugee and migrant communities. It was really lovely and moving to see how much the people we support on Chios, both adults and children, enjoyed spending time with the volunteers. And especially now, when the humanitarian sector is facing funding cuts and staff shortages, the support of volunteers is more valuable than ever.”
— Efpraxia “Efi” Nerantzaki, Education & Integration Department, METAdrasi
A Partnership Measured in Human Impact
These testimonies describe different communities and different kinds of need. Together, they reveal a common truth: service becomes meaningful when it is rooted in partnership, continuity and respect.
Greek America Corps was created to connect young North Americans with Greece through purposeful service. The impact described by our partners belongs to every volunteer who gave their time, every organization that welcomed them, and every supporter who made their presence possible.
Learn more about Greek America Corps and how the program brings the next generation closer to Greece through service.