For the second year in a row, the AHEPA Foundation’s Journey to Greece Christmas Benefit was a great success, shining a light on one of AHEPA’s most successful and enriching programs. AHEPA family and friends gathered at The Graycliff catering facility in Moonachie, New Jersey to celebrate the holiday and bring attention to the Journey to Greece program and the experience that it offers our youth.

Guests were welcomed by master of ceremonies George G. Horiates, PSP. Shortly after, the evening’s program began with an invocation by His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey and greetings from DOP Grand President Margaret Dritsas and AHEPA Canada President Emmanuel Constas. The Honorable Iphigenia Kanara, Consul General of Greece in New York, spoke to attendees as well before SOP Supreme Governor George T. Horiates and MOA PGP Maria Ana Pantelous introduced four participants in the 2024 Journey to Greece Program, who spoke to the crowd about their life changing experiences.

Following the student testimonials, Supreme President Savas C. Tsivicos made a special presentation to Anastasios Efstratiades of the George W. Rentschler Foundation in thanks for becoming a grand underwriter of the Journey to Greece Program with his donation of $200,000. With the funds raised leading up to this event and from this event, AHEPA is close to meeting the goal of raising the $1 million necessary to establish the Journey to Greece endowment that will allow us to continue to offer this program to students at the lowest cost possible.