Olympia Dukakis was a force of nature who inspired an entire generation of young women to keep fighting for their dreams.

She was a founding board member of the Greek America Foundation and dedicated her time, her talents and her treasures to our various causes and initiatives over the years.

In her honor and memory, we have launched THE OLYMPIA DUKAKIS PRIZE, a "genius prize" that will be awarded annually to a FEMALE-LED initiative in film or theater with a $5,000
cash grant.

Olympia believed in women and left an indelible mark in film and theater. We believe this annual prize, in her name, will not only honor her legacy in perpetuity, but will also help inspire FUTURE OLYMPIAS.

Our goal is to endow $125,000 and use the annual interest income from this fund for the annual prize.

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL AND ENDOW THIS PRIZE

Our service-based volunteer missions serve Greece's most vulnerable communities.

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, an upwards of 150 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.

Support our Greek America Corps Scholarship Endowment Fund and help us transform the lives of more young North Americans - while serving Greece's most vulnerable people!

Since our founding nearly 20 years ago, the Greek America Foundation has donated upwards of $1 million in direct grants to charities supporting vulnerable population groups in Greece. Our support has benefited non-profits that support homeless people; sexually-abused; orphaned and vulnerable children; refugees and people with cancer and other terminal ailments. Grants have also funded special projects including:

• Support for SOS Children's Villages Greece to assist vulnerable children and families in need.
• Funding for HOPEgenesis to combat declining birth rates in Greece by supporting women in remote areas.
• Support for Dipla Sou (By Your Side), Greece's leading LGBTQI+ helpline, to assist young people in crisis.
• Financial aid to Ronald McDonald House Charities Greece to help construct and equip facilities for families of hospitalized children.
• Support for the 7th Experimental Elementary School in Hania, Crete to purchase educational equipment and enhance the learning environment.
• Aid to an environmental organization in Evia for the installation of water tanks in wildfire-affected areas.
• Assistance for earthquake victims in Vrysa, Lesvos, providing school supplies, food stipends, and support for holiday celebrations.
• Support for the repair of fishing boats for Lesvos fishermen who became heroes during the refugee crisis.
• Provision of food supplies to the late Mama Maria of Samos, who prepared over 50,000 meals for refugee families arriving on the island.

HELP US HELP GREECE'S MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE

A society grows great when old people plant trees whose shade they know they shall never enjoy."

-Ancient Greek Proverb

A pandemic almost brought this organization to its knees, struggling amid canceled fundraising events to raise funds to keep the lights on. Prior to that, a life-threatening cancer diagnosis of our founder, Gregory C. Pappas, forced us to have an internal conversation about how this organization would continue to provide the valuable services and programming-should a life-altering event ever occur again.

We survived the pandemic thanks to a challenge grant by our chairlady, Ms. Patricia Lambrecht. Fortunately, our founder survived cancer and is stronger and healthier than ever. We learned from these experiences and are here celebrating this evening. But these events were a wake-up call to us and in order to ensure that we will be able to continue to serve-we've decided to launch a $10 million endowment campaign to secure the future of the Greek America Foundation.

This foundation has impacted thousands. With your help, we will continue doing our work, for generations to come. Donate today and help sustain the future of the Greek America Foundation's programs, not for us… but for the future.

Manos Sifakis
Chairman
Board of Directors
Greek America Foundation