* Are you a member of the ACG Community (Student/Faculty/Staff)
* Do you want to engage in volunteer community-based work?
* Are you interested in helping reduce food waste while helping others in need?
Then, we are looking for YOU!
About the initiative:
Since November 2018, ACG through the Office of Public Affairs initiated a collaboration with the NGO Boroume (“We Can”) by adopting a farmers’ market to help reduce food waste and fight malnutrition. In November 2021, we adopted a second farmers’ market, and in March 2023 even a third one, offering more volunteer options to our community!
The initiative is simple: a group of ACG members (students, faculty, and staff) meet and go together at the farmers’ markets’ closing time to gather produce, donated by vendors, from the market stands. Representatives from the organizations where the food is donated are there to pick up the produce gathered by the ACG team.
ACG has adopted two markets, taking place on Mondays (Gerakas/Cholargos) and one, taking place on Fridays (Aghia Paraskevi):
- Cholargos market (Mondays): This requires about 4-5 volunteers. We meet at 14:15 outside the Deree Admissions Office and return on campus around 16:15 – 16:30. The produce gathered is donated to and support the philanthropic activities of “The Association for the Protection of Children and Individuals with Disabilities” at Cholargos.
- Gerakas market (Mondays): This is a smaller market and required 2-3 volunteers. We meet at 13:10 at the Main Gate and return on campus around 14:30. This initiative supports the special needs center ‘Hara’ (“Joy”) at Pallini.
- Aghia Paraskevi market (Fridays): This requires about 4-6 volunteers. We meet at 14:00 outside the Deree Admissions Office and return on campus around 16:15. This initiative supports the needs of the Association of Parents & Guardians & Friends of Autistic People Agios Nikolaos.
Transportation to and from the markets is provided by ACG.
What is our impact so far?
From November 2018 until the end of 2022, we have gathered 14.354 kg of fruits and vegetables, equating to approximately 60.000 meals! A total of more than 1.000 volunteer hours have been offered by members of the ACG Community.
Boroume is a non-profit organization whose mission to reduce food waste and to fight malnutrition in Greece aligns perfectly with the ACG sustainability efforts in terms of social responsibility and community engagement.
Individual Volunteer Actions
If would you like to volunteer but are unable to do so at the ‘ACG Farmers’ Market’ on Mondays or Fridays, please click here.
Before you participate at the initiative, you should read carefully the Volunteers’ Guide by Boroume at the Farmers’ Market and complete the required forms.