foodKIND runs a free market in Athens, Greece, at which we support refugees and asylum seekers who are food insecure. We provide dried and tinned goods, as well as some hygiene items. We are currently supporting about 400 people, who go through a needs assessment according to a set of vulnerability criteria. There has been a sharp increase in the need for food amongst the community of forcibly displaced people. We are raising funds to expand our project and help as many people as possible.
There are an estimated 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers living in Athens. With a stark decline in funding supporting this community, many are food insecure and struggle to meet their daily nutritional needs. Malnourishment has many negative health consequences for both adults and children, impeding their ability to work and learn and pushing them further into poverty and hardship. Recent increases in the cost of food and fewer government support programs, many people are in dire need.
foodKIND provides consistent access to food to individuals and families who struggle to secure their next meals. Our program supports people for a minimum of six months, during which time we provide them with sufficient amounts of food to feed themselves for the month, so that they can focus their energy and resources on improving their situations and securing more sustainable sources of food and income. By buying things in bulk we are able to spend efficiently and get the most out of our funds.
Enabling access to food for people experiencing food insecurity has lasting impacts on their health and well-being, both physical and mental. By providing guaranteed support to people for at least six months, we can alleviate some of the stress and pressure that people in difficult situations are facing. Giving them reliable access to food can allow them to refocus their efforts and energy on other aspects of their lives such as employment and education, supporting their integration into Greece.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
