Our Beginnings
Since 2015, Greece has seen an influx of nearly a million displaced people seeking refuge from political persecution, armed conflict, and economic hardship. These individuals, including men, women, and children, arrive in Greece after enduring a perilous journey from their home country, only to find that conditions in this EU member state are far worse than anticipated. Budget cuts and funding reductions have left many refugees homeless, particularly those without documentation or who are in the process of applying for asylum.
In March of 2019, our founders witnessed the severity of the housing crisis faced by refugees and migrant communities in Athens firsthand. Many people live in overcrowded, informal squats, where multiple families share a single room. Despite the less-than-ideal living conditions, these refugees are considered lucky because finding shelter in Athens is exceedingly difficult. During our visit, we were shocked to hear about the challenges faced by homeless families. After attempting to find shelter for several women and families and reaching out to local and international NGOs, we realized that many of the accommodations that were free or subsidized by NGOs were already at full capacity. After returning home, we remained in contact with these families and learned that the situation had worsened as several squats were raided by the police, rendering hundreds of people homeless. Seeing the urgent need for action, we start to raise money to support refugees we met during our visit to Athens.
We launched a Gofundme campaign in April 2019 to raise funds, hoping to raise $500 enough to pay rent for three apartments for six months. However, after learning more about the severity of the homelessness crisis, we shifted our focus to providing short-term emergency assistance to as many people as possible. By May, we had housed our first family of six in an accommodation for 400 euros a month, thanks to our partnership with Our House. We continued to support this family and provide funding for rent for two additional accommodations, gaining valuable insight into the housing market in Athens and streamlining our process to ensure more accountability. By July, we had provided full or partial rent for 10 accommodations for periods ranging from 1-3 months. During our time in Athens, we made a significant impact but realized that our model needed to be changed for sustainability. After being approved for tax-exempt status, we were able to continue our mission and thus Finding Refuge was born.