FETA Partners With The Hellenic Initiative To Support Reforestation After Wildfires
FETA is the latest Hellenic Diaspora organization to join The Hellenic Initiative’s (THI) Plant a Tree program, whose mission is to help nature recover from the fires that have been ravaging Greece. On the morning of September 4 dozens of volunteers gathered in Paiania, Attica, returning to a reforested area impacted by wildfires in 2022 and 2024.
Volunteers of all ages, from young children to senior citizens, brought their love of the land and offered their helping hands to heal nature. All necessary materials and guidance were provided by the organizers, which included THI’s dedicated community partners We4all and Axion Hellas. They came to care for the resilient native trees the organizations planted earlier by watering and fertilizing them, enabling the environment not merely to survive but to thrive.
As part of the 2025 program, a total of 5,000 trees will be planted in Greece under the THI Plant a Tree campaign. FETA donated $30,000 earlier to support the cause.
The Federation of EthnicGreek Trade Associations (FETA) was established in 2004, and it held its first fundraising event January 2025 in New York. The beneficiaries were Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and THI. FETA founder Larry (Lazaros) Goanos said he chose to donate to THI “because it’s frustrating for many Greek-Americans to see the destruction wrought by wildfires in Greece and believe we’re somewhat powerless to do anything about it, so I felt it was a great cause.” Half the proceeds from FETA’s next gala dinner will go to THI – St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital will be the other beneficiary.
THI’s Country Head for Greece Michael Printzos, thanked the participants, “I love that THI and FETA joined to do something so meaningful together – that two Greek-American organizations are partnering, literally on the ground, in this way.”
George P. Stamas, THI’s Board President, stated: “Every great initiative requires not just a good start, but dedicated follow-up. On September 4, THI and its partners returned to a forest they helped replant. Our motto is “Dare to Dream,” and we back it up to Greece with a promise to always be there.”
George Anderson, THI Board Member, stated: “From the beginning, THI knew it could not accomplish its noble mission alone. Partnerships with the best people and groups are the key, and encouraging volunteerism in Greece is also vital. As a member of FETA, I am delighted they are THI’s newest major partner.”
