THI Australia funds Desmos Direct – Making giving easy and efficient

31 January 2017

Greece’s innovative online donation platform, Desmos Direct will undergo a major upgrade following a grant from The Hellenic Initiative Australia.

The award-winning online giving tool makes it easy and efficient to donate goods and services by automatically matching donations with the needs of welfare organisations that are assisting people in need throughout Greece. Through its online database of NGO needs in real time, donors and recipients can transact directly with maximum transparency, offering food, clothing, furniture, school equipment, medical supplies and other goods and services.

“We are pleased to be continuing our partnership with Desmos in 2016-17 as part of our crisis relief program, with a grant of AUD $17,400 for Desmos Direct,” announced THI Australia President Nick Pappas.

“Desmos Direct has become a valuable donation service that has been steadily embraced by donors and welfare organisations dealing with the impact of the economic crisis in Greece,” said Mr Pappas.

In 2015-16, THI Australia provided a AUD$20,000 grant to support the Desmos Direct program, which exceeded goals by distributing goods valued at more than $681,000 through more than 2000 online donations.

With the benefit of the upgrade and technical support provided by THI Australia’s grant, Desmos Direct is expecting to increase the number of users and online donations by more than 30 percent in 2017, providing an additional AUD$150,000 in donated goods.

“By helping to build capacity in dynamic young organisations, The Hellenic Initiative is playing a significant role in boosting the charity sector in Greece, which is struggling to cope with the ongoing social impact of the economic crisis and the influx of refugees,” Mr Pappas said.

Perth-based THI Director Nick Mitaros and his wife Theona met with Anni Skourleti and the Desmos team in Athens in January 2017.

Since it was established in 2012, Desmos has supported 700 social welfare organisations thanks to the donations of 260 companies and thousands of individuals, assisting more than 330,000 beneficiaries, and distributing goods and services valued at more than $4 million.

Through its offices in Athens and Thessaloniki, Desmos also designs and implements targeted nationwide programs, such as Desmos Gives Warmth, which provides heating fuel to schools and welfare institutions, Desmos for Schools, which provides equipment and materials for schools in remote areas of Greece, and “I Care & Act” which promotes volunteering and civic engagement. Find out more here: www.desmos.org

Desmos – since 2012:

• 260 companies donated
• $4 million value of donated goods
• 652 social welfare organisations assisted
• 330,000 beneficiaries

THI Australia was established in 2015 to support the groundbreaking work that The Hellenic Initiative has been doing globally to support recovery and renewal in Greece –  thanks to the support of the Greek diaspora.

Since 2012, through THI’s NGO partners, more than US$3.5 million has been distributed in direct crisis relief for those in need, while US$6.2 million has been committed for programs supporting economic development in Greece.