A thank you from the Archdiocese of Athens for help with their feeding programme

Archbishop Rowan Williams with Dr Constantine Dimtsas. Fr Malcolm Bradshaw to the right
The situation in Greece which preoccupied us until the focus moved recently to the refugee crisis was the hardship that so many of the population were facing as a result of the imposed austerity measures. People across the diocese will remember that our 2015 Lent Appeal raised funds to assist with these needs, via the partnership between St Paul's Athens (the Revd Canon Malcolm Bradshaw) and Apostoli, the philanthropic organization of the Archdiocese of Athens.

A letter of appreciation has been received for our diocese's gift of £13,571.91 from the Lent appeal. Here are extracts from that letter sent by Dr Constantine Dimtsas, the Director General of Apostoli.

First of all, I wish to thank you for sending us this important donation through our local Anglican friends and fellow partners, Fr Malcolm Bradshaw and his Parish in Athens. With your precious contribution you  have demonstrated your acknowledgement of and appreciation to our work of providing material and moral assistance to some of the most vulnerable segments of our society, bewildered  by the lingering economic crisis that has befallen our country since 2010. 
The amount will be allocated to our action-programme "The Church Supports the  Large Families," which provides material support for large, multi-child families in the form of foodstuff parcels to be distributed to them once a month. Please note that this programme is one of the most important and most vital actions of Apostoli since large, multi-child families are severely hit by the crisis and these children are very vulnerable to the consequences of the crisis. No discrimination whatsoever is done as to the origin or the creed of the recipient family and  our assistance  is provided on the basis of demonstrated and certified need via a thorough process of checking.
Therefore, on behalf of more than 1.300 multi-child families who thankfully benefit from our programme-action, please accept my prayerful and cordial thanks for your diocese's precious support. Your generosity and love, combined with that of other Anglican parishes and Anglican individuals across Europe, enables our organization to distribute critical material assistance to help large multi-child families in order to meet their basic day-to-day needs. For this, we offer abundant thanks. May our gracious God bless you and your loving diocese and people.
Taking this opportunity please let me add this: In these critical times for Europe and the Christian Churches of this Continent your continuing support is a wonderful and moving example of Christian solidarity and love.



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