GREECE: Thousands of Greeks brave the cold weather and flock to Athens' Syntagma Square to donate food, clothes and toys for families in need

Record ID: 342931

  • Title: GREECE: Thousands of Greeks brave the cold weather and flock to Athens' Syntagma Square to donate food, clothes and toys for families in need
  • Date: 23rd December 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PLACING BAGS ON TOP OF PILE OF DONATED GOODS
  • Embargoed: 7th January 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Economy,Politics,Social Services / Welfare
  • Reuters ID: LVA9GYYC73G5RRWYZYTKMQCA9VB5
  • Story Text: Thousands of Greeks flocked to Syntagma Square in central Athens on Sunday (December 23) to donate food, clothes and toys they no longer needed to families in need.
    People of all ages carrying bags filled with donated goods stood patiently in line under the biting winter sun to participate in the solidarity initiative "I care / I share", which was organized by Athens municipality and local Greek television station 'Mega'.
    A press officer at Mega Channel told Reuters that due to the current economic crisis, many families in Greece were in a dire situation and initiatives like these had become necessary.
    "We all know that we are facing a difficult situation in Greece, especially in Athens, because we know that hundreds of thousands of families have problems with the current situation. So we cooperated with the municipality of Athens and we asked people to bring food, clothes or toys for the children," said Charis Goulios.
    The country's austerity package which cut wages, benefits and pensions, along with an unemployment rate at a record 26 percent, led many families to buy presents for their loved ones struggling to cover basic needs such as food and clothing.
    The organizers of "I care / I share" said people responded enthusiastically to the call for donation, and ten trucks were filled in less than three hours with boxes and bags of food, clothes, blankets and toys.
    Stelios Liofados came to Syntagma Square with bags filled with food and clothes that his children outgrew despite of his family's own economic hardship.
    "Whatever we can (we brought). Don't think that we are in a much better condition but from what we could spare, we decided to help as much as we could. We brought a couple of children clothes that no longer fit to our own children and some food that we had extra in the house," said the 45-year-old Liofados.
    Other Athens resident said Christmas spirit was about people showing solidarity and assisting their fellow citizens.
    "Because I care and I want other people to also have a good time," said Marianthi, who did not wish to give her last name.
    "These are things no longer useful to us and I think that other people might have a greater need for them. We could be in the same position. At some point we might take from someone else. Isn't it so?" added 49-year-old Christina Kolovou.
    Since the crisis began, the municipalities, the church and activists have set up several initiatives and care programs for impoverished families around the country, providing food, clothing, medicine and shelter for the homeless.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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