Who are we?

Khora Athens is an association and a non-hierarchical collective that provides dignified access to asylum support, food, clothes, creative workshops, and community space. We campaign for an end to borders, advocate for papers for all, and promote community beyond nationality.

Open since 2016, we remain committed to our core values: solidarity, autonomy, community, and the fundamental right to basic means to live in our city, Athens.

Khora is composed of four volunteer-run working groups throughout three buildings in Athens:

• The Social Kitchen provides 700+ free meals a week, along with a community space to eat in and socialise;

• The Free Shop provides free clothes and hygiene products to 300 families a week;

• The Beehive offers a creative space for women and LGBTQIA+ people;

• KAST (Khora Asylum Support Team) is a team of caseworkers who supported 2900+ people on the move in 2023 by sharing legal, social, and medical information, making referrals, and providing accompaniments.

What are we fundraising for?

We want to keep our spaces open in 2024.

Maintaining these spaces allows us to provide consistent and reliable support to those experiencing instability, whether they are navigating the alienating and bureaucratic asylum procedure, denied papers and access to basic support, or struggling with the rising cost of living in Greece.

Keeping these spaces open is an opportunity to build long-term and embodied relationships, beyond the material support we provide. As the asylum process in Greece can be long and alienating for those seeking refuge, we aim to offer a place that can be a lasting point of reference and foster a consistent community.

What will the money be used for?

• €10 cover the ingredients for 20 portions of hot nutritious vegan food.

• €20 cover the costs of weekly Arabic interpretation services.

• €30 cover the monthly expenses of communication between KAST and clients.

• €80 cover the weekly rent for the Free Shop.

• €200 cover the costs of hygiene products for 200 families coming to the Free Shop.

• €300 cover the weekly rent for our Social Kitchen community center.

Every donation is highly appreciated and contributes directly to our community.

Why support Khora? Why now?

We want to remain independent and adaptable to the needs of our city and community, which is why we don’t receive any funding from organisations or institutions that contribute to or cause the border crisis. As a result, we rely on individual donations.

Our services are needed now more than ever as the situation in Athens is becoming severe, but the focus shifted away.

• More people are arriving in Greece (the highest number of arrivals since 2019 with 49,000 people in 2023 according to UNHCR);

• Many local grassroots organisations are closing down due to insufficient funding;

• A lack of state provision of social services to meet basic needs such as food and housing;

• Greece has seen a 25% increase in food prices in the last 2 years.

Help us keep our doors open in 2024 and stand in solidarity with people on the move by donating now!