AHEPA E-News: AHEPA Cares | Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Vol. 14 Issue 17 | Wednesday, April 29, 2020 AHEPA E-News AHEPA Cares | Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic For nearly 100 years, AHEPA has provided steadfast service to the community through thick and thin. During this national emergency caused by the coronavirus global pandemic, please adhere to CDC guidance to help control the spread of the virus. Also, if you are able, please identify those who are most vulnerable in the community and check in to see if they are in need of assistance. #AHEPACares Stay home. Stay informed. Practice social distancing. We will get through this pandemic together.  Ahepans from Chapter 3, Birmingham, Alabama deliver meals to health care professionals at at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. Keep Updated: AHEPA COVID-19 Resource Center Recap: Supreme President's Messages Federal Tax Guidance: IRS COVID-19 web page | For U.S. taxpayers abroad Small Business Relief: SBA's Payroll Protection Program resumes White House Guidance: 30 Days to Slow the Spread CDC Guidance: New Symptoms List | Prevent Getting Sick | Cloth Face Covers CDC: Learn about COVID-19 Visit our COVID-19 Resource Center GreekNews Online features AHEPA's response to COVID-19 GreekNews Online interviewed Supreme President George G. Horiates about AHEPA's response to the coronavirus pandemic. GreekNews Online published the article, "The principles of AHEPA cannot be quarantined" authored by Vicki James Yiannias on April 24. read the article Thessaloniki Radio 107.4 interviews Supreme President Horiates Greek Radio Station, Thessaloniki 107.4, interviewed Supreme President George G. Horiates, April 16, 2020. The 19-minute interview covered an variety of topics, but mostly centered on AHEPA’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. listen to the interview AHEPA Cares and it shows: A note of gratitude for your philanthropy AHEPA prides itself on the strength of its chapters and members. With more than 400 chapters worldwide, AHEPA provides community service at the grassroots. In fact, AHEPA has been described as providing “boots on the ground” - a reference to our members and their valuable work in the communities. Working hand-in-hand with local and state community service groups, AHEPA excels at providing relief when times get tough. During this unprecedented time, the COVID-19 pandemic has AHEPA mobilized once again. Our support for the health care heroes on the front lines who are making sacrifices to attend to those infected by coronavirus is resolute. Supreme President George G. Horiates has been spearheading efforts to encourage our chapters to donate or volunteer time and energy to provide assistance. With the spirit of community service at the core of their mission, we are proud our chapters have responded superbly with safety as a priority. Ahepans are going to supermarkets (with appreciation to our grocery workers too) to buy food for those in need. They are visiting area hospitals and delivering food to the doctors and nurses who are in harm's way and to the elderly and the homeless. Ahepans are also donating blood. The AHEPA family is working together to provide assistance around the world. #AHEPACares and it shows. We salute our members for their outreach. We can take pride we are fulfilling our founding fathers' vision of a community service fraternity. Supreme President Horiates thanks the AHEPA chapters that are practicing philanthropy and for sending us inspirational photos and stories. We applaud look forward to seeing more of our Order's great works! We encourage districts and chapters to engage in philanthropic and community service acts and please submit your good works to AHEPA Global Headquarters. Please remember to do so responsibly, according to government guidance, and above all else--safely! The list (at right) is what we know at the time of the writing of this article. AHEPA’s list of chapters that are playing a significant part in the communities they serve worldwide is unmatched…and will go on… THANK YOU! Chapter 3 Birmingham, Ala. – 100 meals donated to Children’s Hospital of Alabama Chapter 25 Manhattan, N.Y. – Meals donated and funds raised for ventilators Chapter 26 Philadelphia – Brother Dr. Theoklis Zaoutis is actively advising Greece's Ministry of Health on COVID-19 Chapter 40, Detroit/District 10, Michigan – $15,000 donated to Detroit-area churches Chapter 64 Harrisburg, Pa. – Brother Dr. Chronis providing medical analysis for COVID-19 Chapter 69 Cherry Hill, N.J. – 200 meals donated to Virtua Hospital and other area hospitals Chapter 72 Trenton, N.J. – 200 meals delivered to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Chapter 145 Denver – Donated and served meals to hundreds of first responders and homeless Chapter 219 Phoenix – Donated N95 face masks to essential workers Chapter 319 Port Jefferson, N.Y. – Donated face masks to emergency responders Chapter 445 & Sons of Pericles 290 Upper Darby, Pa. – Delivered food to the ER department at Jeanes Campus – Temple University Hospital Chapter 489 New Port Richey, Fla. – Donated meals to elderly residents at AHEPA 489 Apartments Chapter 500 Greenlawn, N.Y. – Held a food drive to benefit the area shelters Chapter 515 Radnor, Pa. – Donated and delivered hundreds of meals for the health care and emergency response professionals and administrative staff at Inova Alexandria Hospital Chapter CJ-1 Toronto – Donated food and secured 10% discount for all folks at Sun Valley Supermarket Chapter 601 Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey – Donated food to Orthodox churches for Easter Chapter HJ-1 Athens, Greece – Ahepans provide support to Evangelismos Hospital Chapter HJ-3 Thessaloniki, Greece – AHEPA Hospital is treating COVID-19 patients Chapter HJ-26 Peter Baltis Chapter Larissa, Greece – Coordinated blood donor drive with several Ahepans donating Chapter HJ-34 Corfu, Greece – Coordinated blood donor drive with several Ahepans donating Chapter HJ-38 Palio Faliro, Greece – Donated and delivered meals and necessities to a local food bank for the municipality's elderly and vulnerable Chapter HJ-41 Kalamaria, Greece – Delivered care packages of food and water to the elderly Chapter CY-1 Nicosia, Cyprus – Contributed to District 27's countrywide blood drive with hundreds of units of blood collected Nikolaus Dumba Chapter & DOP Princess Sissi Chapter, Vienna, Austria - Delivered meals to the needy Download & Distribute AHEPA Cares Flyer The Daughters of Penelope helping around the world during the pandemic The National Herald featured the community service initiatives and work of the Daughters of Penelope in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The article appeared April 24, 2020. read the article Pass the time by reading a little (Greek American community) history Looking to pass the time while during your part to #StayHome? Are you looking to learn more about the history of the Greek American community? Did you know...George J. Leber's "The Order of AHEPA 1922-1972: A Tribute to the First 50 Years" is available to read on www.ahepa.org? The book covers immigration to America, AHEPA's storied and unique founding, and provides a detailed year-by-year account of the contributions to society by AHEPA, including from chapters and districts. Learn about the struggles the immigrant community faced in the early 20th century. See what prominent members of society joined AHEPA - Greek and philhellene alike. Learn about the amazing work performed by AHEPA during WWII and post-WWII. And more! Access Leber's book Ensure your ancestry is counted! More than half of all households have responded to the 2020 U.S. Census 79 million Census responses have been received -- that's nearly half of all the households in the country! AHEPA encourages your participation in the 2020 U.S. Census to ensure the Greek American community is accounted, announced Supreme President George G. Horiates.   It is part of our civic duty to participate in the U.S. Census. It is important to do so for a couple of reasons.   First, community-based organizations such as AHEPA, rely on accurate census data to ensure that its constituency is represented properly. On a larger scale, census results will help communities receive federal funding for hospitals, schools, and emergency services. (Pictured: Thanks to our friends at the New Jersey Hellenic American Heritage Commission for providing this flyer. Share it widely!) Question 9 about Race: When asked on the Census form to indicate your race, you can mark or check "White," and under the designation, write-in "Greek" or "Cypriot" to indicate your ethnicity/ancestry.    Census documents have arrived in the mail. People will be able to respond to the census online, by phone, or by mail. You can choose the option that works best for you.   Personal information provided on the census is kept confidential by law. Share: Hellenic Pride Census flyer | Greek glossary | Fact Sheet on Race Question | Beware of Census fraud/scams Complete the U.S. Census Online Deadline Extended | National Scholarship Application New Deadline: April 30 Apply Today! | Share Video U.S. International Religious Freedom Commission places Turkey on Special Watch List In its 2020 Annual Report released yesterday, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended the U.S. government to include Turkey on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations. USCIRF made the recommendation to include Turkey on the SWL (formerly the Commission's "Tier 2" category) for “engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA)." The Commission also recommended the U.S. government to "raise in all meetings with Turkish government officials and press at the highest levels for the reopening of the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary and for the Turkish government to comply fully with ECtHR rulings on freedom of religion or belief." USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to freedom of religion or belief abroad. read the annual report | USCIRF Turkey The Senate Must Act! View our latest Action Alert