Social Kitchens - Greece
Directory
"“Social kitchens” or “soup kitchens” were formed as a response to the current economic situation. They are informal social structures organised by groups of citizens aiming to offer food to immigrants, homeless, unemployed and poor. The volunteers that run the social kitchens are responsible for cooking, serving and collecting the food either from restaurants or citizens that want to contribute with donations.
• El Chef (http://www.elchef.gr/): The social kitchen El Chef was created by a group of citizens in Athens in 2007. Initially it was focused on migrants and now offers food to Greeks who live on the breadline. It is not a charity and it does not treat people who have been affected by the crisis as unfortunate and hungry. Its goal is to cultivate solidarity and to inspire and shape other forms of social reality as a response to the current crisis.
• The other Human (http://oallosanthropos.blogspot.gr/): "The Other Human" was conceived when a group of citizens noticed that people of various ages, nationalities, and social levels were rummaging through rubbish at public food markets to find food they otherwise couldn't afford to buy. The first obvious response was to cook their own food from home and distribute it in public market places. Later on they decided to cook on site for people and to eat the cooked food together. This way they could all come together trying to break through any feeling of shame or embarrassment. "The Other Human" is an act of solidarity with fellow Greeks. These actions are not philanthropic or charity. Their motto is that “We cook "live", we eat together and we live together. It is a lunch with our fellowman on the street”.
• Xanadu (http://xanadu.espivblogs.net/): A citizens group focusing on the development of social relationships based on principles such as equality, collective and individual responsibility, and solidarity. Activities include social kitchen, self-education, workshops, festivals etc.
• Helping.gr (http://www.helping.gr/active.aspx): A website providing information on free food spots within the country.
(source: Informal Citizen Networks in Greece)