Everything started with the creation of an event on Facebook on Saturday 29th August at 22:40 with the following text (the picture was added later):
I am looking for people that want to help me with setting up a help-caravan for refugees in Greece. This problem is too big for a country already in economical crisis. Now we know that the rich EU countries failed to do what is necessary and it is up to the citizens to do what is needed. Therefore, I am looking for:
- People with a camper or a van who want to join me to drive to Greece (we will try to refund the gasoline costs through sponsorships).
- People who want to help to collect aid, for example food (rice, flower or canned food), warm clothes, sanitary napkins (no tampons) and baby diapers.
- Money donation for buying necessary goods at the location itself (tax deductable).
- A companion for the travelling with the required driving licence.
- People who want to help in the coordination.
- People who share this message.
Please send a personal message on Facebook to Erika Mauritz if you want to help. Join the event if you only help collecting the goods in the Netherlands, without driving to Greece. I will contact everybody that joins the event. Thanks in advance.
The plan is to drive during the autumn holidays, which begin the 17th October in the North and Center of the Netherlands, and the following week in the South. Maybe some people would like to combine holidays with doing something for others, by choosing this time Greece as destination.
For donations hereby follows the bank account:
NL08 TRIO 0212 2698 44
t.n.v. Partij voor MenS en Spirit
o.v.v. GRIEKENLAND
MenS en Spirit made their bank account available for this initiative, without costs. Because MenS en Spirit is a Public Benefit Organization, the donations are tax deductibles. Who wants to donate can contact us at hulpgriekenland@gmail.com in order to get a proof of donation for the tax deduction.
The people in the photo above did not survive. Fortunately, thousands of others survived and are now living in miserable conditions in the streets of Greece. We can help them, and “a lot of drops make a big pool”!
After this message, a lot of people offered their help, with overwhelming reactions from inside and outside the Netherlands. Meanwhile, a whole network of people that want to help is growing.