Ms Myrto Xanthopoulou, Senior Program Officer of SNF talks about the DIATROFI Program
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Founding Donor of the DIATROFI Program, supports thousands of children and families in need through this large-scale food aid program which promotes healthy nutrition in public schools of underprivileged areas throughout Greece. Myrto Xanthopoulou, Senior Program Officer at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, talks about the initiative and the contribution of SNF to the DIATROFI Program and the collaboration with Prolepsis Institute for a number of consecutive years.
“We are proud to support the food aid program DIATROFI, implemented by Prolepsis Institute, for the sixth consecutive year. The DIATROFI Program is one of the Foundation’s initiatives to support the Greek society during the ongoing economic crisis. Our collaboration with the Prolepsis Institute for the implementation of this innovative program has been exemplary during our joint action. The SNF, as the Founding Donor of the DIATROFI Program, has developed its support to create a matching funds mechanism, which has attracted many additional donors and has allowed it to support more public schools throughout Greece, multiplying the benefit for children and their families. The significance of the DIATROFI Program is much more than the offer of an everyday small meal; the Program promotes healthy eating habits for the children and their families, providing a legacy for the future. In addition, the meals offered, require everyone’s participation and respect, promoting solidarity among students.
Initially, the SNF was the Founding and sole Donor of DIATROFI. Since 2015, and in collaboration with the Prolepsis Institute, we continue to support the Program as a Founding Donor and in addition, we triggered the matching fund mechanism in order to raise awareness and funding on children’s food insecurity. Through the matching funds mechanism, the SNF offers an equal amount for each donation made by other donors of the DIATROFI Program; in this way the initial donated amount is doubled. This method delivered very positive results, and more students and their families can now benefit immediately and in the long term, as a result of the educational nature of the DIATROFI Program.”