Evangeline Douris and HANAC: Serving the community and keeping the dream alive of her late husband George

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The late George Douris had a dream and a mission when he founded HANAC (Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee) in 1972 and it is a dream and a mission that his wife Evangeline and the staff of HANAC carry on today.

By Pandora Spelios

“I feel very privileged and honored to be able to continue to support HANAC’s mission,” says Ms. Douris, who serves as chairman of the board. “And also to keep HANAC’s charitable services at the forefront of making a difference in the community. Caring for the young and old is paramount at HANAC.”

With an $80 million annual budget and a multi-lingual staff of more than 2700 (led since 1973 by Executive Director/CEO John Kaiteris), the organization that originally started to help new immigrants in Astoria, Queens, now provides social services to over 35,000 clients throughout the New York City metropolitan area. These include child and family counseling, employment, education, and social services, housing, and transportation for the elderly and handicapped.

“We are always there to obtain the resources needed for the communities we serve,” says Ms. Douris. Despite the tough economic times, “all our services remain free; and we offer programs for every need.”

In the critical area of care for seniors, HANAC opened the Archbishop Iakovos Senior Residence in Astoria 15 years ago. That was a dream for George Douris which he fortunately lived to see, and that now offers an on-site senior center for meals, social services, recreational programs and transportation—which may be why the facility has a waiting list of over 2000.

And soon there will also be the PCA Senior Residence being developed in conjunction with the Presbyterian Church of Astoria, and a 14-story residence in White Plains that will offer 149 apartments, on-site senior services, a rooftop garden, and it will be an environmentally-friendly green building.“I believe that the senior housing and centers should be beautiful environments,” says Ms. Douris, “because at this stage of a person’s life things should be full of comfortable and with aesthetically appealing environments, with attention to all design details to create attractive surroundings.”

The George T. Douris Tower in Astoria is the crown jewel of the organization’s efforts for seniors in a 15-story building with 184 apartments, a community room, an exercise room, a library, a crafts room, music and computer rooms, outdoor patio areas, a roof garden and a social service office to assist residents. “What better way to distinguish the decades of commitment and dedication to help others that characterized George’s character?”, Ms. Douris once said in announcing the building. “How often did we ‘let George do it,’ knowing each time that he would be there to help us in any way he could? It is his legacy and it is our mutual desire to remember him.”

It was a dream of her husband’s to provide affordable housing for seniors and it is a dream she has realized and continues to pursue single-mindedly. She says unfortunately the need for senior housing continues to be dire and that HANAC must continue its efforts to find the funding and to develop the housing that will provide seniors “the affordability, comfort and services they need and deserve.”

Because of its long track record, HANAC now receives referrals for its services from priests, doctors, and even the government and the scope of its services and outreach is always growing. It has become one of New York City’s largest and most dynamic social service organizations with over 17 locations in communities throughout the city.

“The impact of HANAC’s services extends far beyond the 35,000 clients we serve annually or the visits generated. Each contact affects not only the life of the program participant but their family, friends, colleagues and co-workers. The caretaker who is relieved, for a brief period of time from caretaking responsibilities, is a better spouse and parent by being given an opportunity to attend to other obligations or to enjoy free time. The senior citizen who attends a senior center benefits from exercise, nutrition, socialization and the independence inherent in leading a full life. With increased independence these seniors are less dependent upon their own children for care and support thus freeing these younger adults to care for their families and be more productive at work.”

And for families and young people, the organization’s after-school programs “support the growth of their young participants while enabling parents to attend to employment responsibilities knowing their children are safe. The employer benefits when the worker isn’t stressed by child safety concerns. Families, employers and co-workers all suffer from the dysfunctional substance abuser and benefit when the abuser begins to participate in our treatment program and change behavior patterns. These examples merely touch the surface of the impact of HANAC’s programs and services on the lives of participants and their community.”

HANAC allows itself a moment of celebration and fundraising every year with its HANAC Gala, which in this 38th year will be held on October 22 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Columbus Circle in New York City The honoree this time will be Nicholas Karacostas, the Supreme President of the Order of AHEPA. Last year the Gala was an enormous success and this year the many dedicated people on the Gala committee are working night and day to insure that both the festivities and the fundraising are up to par in these ever-critical times for the ever-critical work of HANAC. It is with the help of what Ms. Douris calls this “great supportive team” that HANAC has been able to pursue its work, particularly with the dedication of John Kaiteris, whom, she says, seems to almost anticipate the needs of the community.

Today and always she believes the type of services HANAC provides should grow–and never diminish—no matter what economic times we live in. It is with a warm heart and continued great dedication to the needy and underprivileged that she carries out her work because of her commitment to making a difference in people’s lives through HANAC and its dedicated staff. Philanthropy is Greek for the “love of people,” and with all the services and aid HANAC and Ms. Douris have provided to New Yorkers, they have personified philanthropy in the best sense of the word.

Dimitri Michalakis contributed to this story

©2010 NEOCORP MEDIA









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