The die is cast: Father Antonios from Athens, Greece, and his initiative "Ark of the world" were chosen to be the HERO 2014 for this year's christmas campaign "Donation instead of gifts". Father Antonios was nominated by ROTHENBERGER Hellas, the ROTHENBERGER branch in Greece. His "Ark of the world (Kivotos tou Kosmou)" was founded in 1998 when he was only 26 years old and had just entered priesthood. He started his project after he took over his first parish in one of the poorest and run-down districts of Athens where many refugees from different countries tried to make a living. He was determined to improve the living conditions especially of the children in this social melting pot. With great success: today more than 400 underprivileged and abused children benefit from the "Ark of the world" services that the 3.000 volunteers supporting the organization offer, e.g. food, soup kitchen, teaching, tutoring, medical, dental care, medication, studying of foreign languages, personal computers, internet. 2.000 people alone participate in the daily food line.
Furthermore "Ark of the world" provides a lot more to help needy people:
+ 150 families are supported with the essential daily groceries.
+ 3.000 people receive free medical, dental care and medications.
+ 100 houses offer a warm and safe environment to homeless mothers and their children.
+ There are a Boys and a Girls Home and a shelter for abused women.
+ Free legal aid for all abused mothers.
+ 100 children enrolled in the "Ark of the world" kindergarden.
+ Social Services for all needy people.
+ Parents education and Job Training.
+ Special aid program for street children.
+ 400 single parent families receive a monthly allowance to help families, to keep the kids off the streets and in schools.
+ There are two new branches of "Ark of the World": in 2013 the Epirus Department was established in Pogoniani Village (67km from Ioannina) near the Greek–Albanian border. In September 2014 Chios Department was established.
More about the winner of the T4L HEROs 2014 initiative under: Project HERO 2014
Or visit Father Antonio at his website:
http://kivotostoukosmou.org/kivotos/content/view/12/28/lang,en/