'25 Days for 25K' Advent Fundraiser

Hello!

Who are we?

We are One Happy Family, a non-profit NGO based in Victoria, Athens, with the aim of promoting societal inclusion, improving social and emotional mental health outcomes and providing a community-based safe space for displaced people and refugees within mainland Greece!

One Happy Family (OHF) is a collaborative community-based project with the aim of filling the gaps created by insufficient governmental interventions through the provision of basic human needs, security and stability at various levels. Our mission is to provide a space where everyone feels welcome, everyone has the possibility to grow, to learn, to be involved and where everyone's skills are valued. Ultimately, OHF strives to reduce prejudices against displaced people.

OHF is a Swiss-founded organisation, initially established on Lesvos Island in 2015 as a direct response to the refugee crisis of 2015. In Lesvos, OHF operated a community space in which people could visit during the day, with varying activities and services including, but not limited to, food, basic needs items and clothing distribution, as well as educational programmes. Now based in Victoria Community Centre in Athens, One Happy Family (OHF) continues to respond to the direct needs of displaced persons, now within an urban context.

Crucially, we work WITH the people, not FOR them - including the communities into the daily tasks, decision making processes and coordination is within our core values and helps us to constantly adjust our projects to the existing needs.

OHF operates an umbrella project, in the form of a community centre, that forms a holistic community-based approach to the refugee crisis in Athens alongside its partner organisations. We do this by coordinating a space in which OHF, along with six of our partner organisations, run projects all with the aim of community integration and supporting and improving future outcomes for displaced people within Athens. Our partner organisations allow beneficiaries of the centre access to various necessary services such as legal advice, psychosocial support, educational opportunities and women’s spaces. OHF specifically provides a variety of training, educational and integration opportunities by promoting independence and offers a space for displaced people to use their individual skills and assume responsibility, which helps to increase self-confidence and self-efficacy. Moreover, OHF operates its own sub projects within the centre in the form of a community Cafe and backyard and a community rooftop space. From these OHF runs a variety of needs-based activities and community events to provide a positive pastime, increase social and emotional well-being, combat lethargy and enable interaction between people from different backgrounds.

But we need your help to continue these projects!!!

We mainly rely on individual donations to keep our projects going, and this holiday season, we're asking for your support in raising 25,000 CHF or Euros within the 25-day advent period! This money will be paramount in covering both project and administration costs throughout 2023!

What will your donations help to support?

1. The OHF Community Cafe: allowing us to purchase stock such as coffee, tea, biscuits and fresh oranges for orange juice!

2. Needs-based Activities: allowing us to provide structured arts and crafts activities and materials to both children and adult visitors to aid in self-expression, social and emotional mental health outcomes and positive past-times

3. Administration costs: allowing OHF to maintain our holistic community space and NGO status

Every donation counts, and every donation goes towards supporting those who are displaced here in Athens!