In less than twenty days we will celebrate the favorite holiday of young and old. We will gather as a family, we will party with friends, we will eat, we will drink, we will laugh. However, this does not apply to everyone. Some of our fellow human beings do not have the opportunity to celebrate with their family, as they do not have the financial means to obtain the necessities.
At the side of these people is the Pancyprian Coordinating Body of Volunteerism, which through the campaign "Adopt a family for Christmas", provides those who do not have everything necessary for the festive table.
This is the sixth year that this campaign is taking place, the president of the Pancyprian Volunteer Coordinating Council, Elias Dimitriou, told REPORTER.
"The campaign started in 2013. That year, due to the financial crisis, many of our fellow human beings had financial problems and did not even have the basics to have a good festive table," said Mr. Dimitriou, adding that the campaign for this year has started and will be completed on December 20.
"When this campaign started, we helped about 4,500 families. Last year we helped about 1,200 families and this year we are expected to help as many more. We see that there is a decrease, as the years go by, but again the need is there ".
How can a citizen help in the campaign?
Even the smallest offer is great for those who need it, said Mr. Dimitriou, noting that citizens can help, offering even the minimum they can.
"Citizens and companies can offer gift vouchers from shops and supermarkets, so that families can buy what they need on their own. They can also offer material goods, e.g. sweets, food, toys, but nothing used. "They can contact our headquarters in Nicosia and from there they will be referred to the provincial offices to make their donations."
Those who are interested in helping with the campaign can offer the essentials for the festive table, Christmas delicacies, gifts for children, gift vouchers, anything else that can offer Christmas joy to families. They can also volunteer and help prepare Christmas packages or pick up items and record them.
For more information / clarifications, interested parties can contact the Volunteer Coordinating Council / Volunteer Corps of their province:
Nicosia: 22512602
Limassol: 25737761
Larnaca: 24650525
Paphos: 26953725
El. Famagusta: 99124521
Kyrenia: 97743185
"When enough goods are collected, a distribution is made according to the needs of each family. "Until December 20, the citizens can offer, however, various products have already started to be delivered to the families", noted Mr. Dimitriou.
Help for families after Christmas
The Pancyprian Volunteer Coordinating Council helps families in need throughout the year.
"Our families call us or the families come to us and inform us about their situation. Neighbors or relatives often inform us. Then we evaluate the data in front of us and choose which families really need it. However, for our campaigns, during the holidays, any family that tells us that it has a financial problem, then we help without a second thought ", stressed Elias Dimitriou.
The message of the campaign
The message that the volunteers want to pass through this campaign, Mr. Dimitriou noted, is that volunteering extends hands that embrace and help people. An outstretched hand can save a person, a look can pull him out of depression and the soul rises, it is always enough to have the eyes of our soul open, as the poet Dionysios Solomos said.
"The message we are sending is that we can help with a simple act. The joy we give to those who receive is very great because while for us it is 0 for them it is +1 ", concluded Mr. Dimitriou.
Source: reporter