Acropolis Project of Giving

The Acropolis Project of Giving was formed as a way for Acropolis Funeral Services to engage with our local community and make positive and memorable change. Acropolis Funeral Services would like to thank all of the families who have supported and chosen our company to assist them in their time of need. Because of this support, we are proudly able to give back to our local communities- this is what we have done so far:

Ronald McDonald House Charities Donation- December 2023

Acropolis Funeral Services, as part of The Acropolis Project of Giving, is proud to support Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, with their continuous fundraising efforts. In preparation for Christmas, this morning- Vivian, Madi and Kon, presented the management team with $2,000.00 worth of presents and snacks, for the children and their families, that will be distributed at their upcoming annual Christmas Party.

Nursing Home Christmas Hampers- November 2023

This year for Christmas, Acropolis Funeral Services donated Christmas hampers to all of the local nursing homes that we work with, as gifts for the social activities and events that they host for their residents and staff during the festive season. Every year, we provide these hampers as a token of thanks and appreciation for continually supporting our team and the families we both work alongside, and to support their efforts in caring for and creating an enjoyable environment for residents and their families during festive seasons.

St. Nicholas Parish, Marrickville Fundraiser- November 2023

Last weekend, Vicky, Dimitra and Evey of Acropolis Funerals, as well as Angela from Angela’s Catering, attended the Family & Friends Taverna Night hosted by St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Marrickville. Acropolis Funerals, as part of their ‘Project of Giving’ initiative, were proud to sponsor the event with a $500 Woolworth’s voucher. The night was filled with silent auctions, raffles, food and dance, whereby all proceeds contributed towards repairs to the parish. Thank you to those who coordinated such an enjoyable night.

'Acropolis By Night' Fundraiser- May 2023

On Saturday 20th May 2023, 120 guests filled the St. Spyridon Church Hall, for what was a memorable event.  The Acropolis Project of Giving in conjunction with Acropolis Funeral Services, proudly held their fundraising event, Acropolis By Night, supporting the fundraising efforts of Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, supporting the house in Randwick.  It was a night of nights, with over $28,000.00 worth of prizes, donated by 46 sponsors.  The entertainment commenced with an official presentation and address by Amber Hughes, representing Simone Daher- EO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, and a spectacular, colorful Greek dancing floor show.

Our Host Kon Kalimnios presented Trivia, that was won by The Dicaprios.  The team won vouchers, medallions, and trophies- proudly sponsored by Acropolis Funeral Services.  Incredibly, $14,234.00 was raised.  The finale incorporated the presentation of the cheque, that was graciously accepted by Amber, on behalf of the house.  We learned from Amber, in her speech, that it costs $160.00 per night for a family to stay at the house.  This includes accommodation, and meals and services, available 24 hours, for families, whilst they are guests of the house.  Knowing that our donation will cover the costs to run the house for 88 days, or for almost 3 months- in itself, is gratifying and heartwarming to know. 

Our mission is accomplished.  We’ve reached the outcome we wanted.  We will make a difference to so many lives.  It has been an absolute pleasure and honor, to have supported Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, and to have collaborated closely with the management and staff of the organization.  Equally- it has been a pleasure and honor to have received the support, generous donations, and invested faith in Acropolis Funeral Services, from our sponsors.  Without our sponsors, there would not have been a successful outcome such as this.  Hence, we salute you and acknowledge you; Domayne Warrawong, Diann Darling Jewelers, Speedway Petrol Earlwood, Metropolitan Demolitions, acknowledging Paul Giannikouris, Aurea Designs, Graeme Grant, Waratah Florist, Amore Limousines, McDonald’s Kingsford, Earth Artist Argyro, Laser Clinics Australia, Wollongong, acknowledging Angelika Drapaniotis, Yellow Brick Road Earlwood, Olympia Marble, Eirini Alligiannis Photography, Palm Hammocks, acknowledging Helen Siozos, Milloway, Blink Print, DSNA, acknowledging George Pilarinos, Artcal Windows, Angela’s Catering, Krystal Drapaniotis, Create Concrete, LKB Designs, Dedes Group, Babette Hairdressing, The Great Taste of Greece, Serenity Aromas By K, Metro Petroleum Earlwood, The Kalimnios Family, Yiayia’s Succulents, Eye of the Styler Hairdressing, Earlwood Growers’ Market, Dimitra Alexakis, Mr. Cookies, Sugar Dust, Greek Cargo, Health Save Pharmacy, Trianon Cake Shop, Flavor’s Patisserie Earlwood, Dorothea, The Peter Mamouzelos Family, The Rod Ker Family, Samuela and Latu Fainu Family,

Further acknowledging Andrew Andreou, for coordinating the sponsorship and donation of the 3 football jerseys that were auctioned.  Acropolis Funeral Services for their $2,000.00 donation, towards this cause.  Most importantly, we succeeded together as one force.  We collaborated in ensuring our financial donation will continue to support families in need, whilst in the care of Ronald McDonald House Randwick.  We will forever remember this experience and the difference it will make to so many people.  We are proud and thankful of the unbelievable outcome.  In closing, we are thankful once again- to our sponsors and guests- that made this happen, that turned our dream into a beautiful reality.  We are thankful, for so many companies and individuals  sincerely believed in us, and generously contributed towards our fundraising event.  God bless you, and your families. 

In Memory of Roula- February 2023

Roula – a single mum diagnosed unexpectedly with stage-4 cancer, was given 2 months to live and passed away 2 weeks later. She left behind a 14 year-old boy and an 8 year-old girl, who are lost without their mum. Their grandmother has now taken the role of mum to help raise these two beautiful children and she is struggling to make ends meet.
 
This fundraiser was created by a lovely family friend of Roula’s to help towards the rent, provide funds for the children’s education, and if there are funds left over, fix the run-down non-liveable home they have so they can move in and stop having to pay rent.

Acropolis Funeral Services, as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving, donated $1,000.00 to this fundraiser in hopes that Roula’s family can be relieved of at least some of their pain and stress during this unthinkable time. We ask that anyone who is able to give something- no matter how big or small- to please follow the link below and offer support for this family who deserve so much more than what they have had to endure. We thank everyone in advance for their support.

 

St. Catherine Parish Christmas Raffle Donation- December 2022

In the first week of December, Acropolis Funeral Services as part of our community initiative, the ‘Acropolis Project of Giving’, contributed to the St. Catherine Parish Mascot Christmas Raffle.

The Acropolis team donated a $2,000 travel voucher towards the event held for parishioners and friends of the parish in the lead up to Christmas. The event was hosted as a way raise funds for the parish’s many initiatives over this festive period, including the St. Catherine’s Christmas Food Drive. To find out how you can get involved or donate toward these initiatives this Christmas, visit the St. Catherine’s Facebook page where upcoming events and fundraisers are always being posted

Bear Cottage NSW Christmas Donation- November 2022

On Monday 21st November, Acropolis Funeral Services’ community initiative, The Acropolis Project of Giving, proudly supported the fundraising efforts and projects of Bear Cottage, Manly.  Being the only children’s hospice in New South Wales, Bear Cottage is a very special place, dedicated to caring for children with life-limiting conditions. 

With Christmas approaching, we proudly donated a new Barbeque and many items from the 2022 Christmas Wish List, so that the children and families staying at Bear Cottage over the festive season can get together and spend quality time with each other during this special period.

There is no cost to the families who rely on care and support from Bear Cottage, instead, all operating costs rely on the generosity of community and corporate support.

Currently, the Bear Cottage team are putting together Christmas gift hampers to give to the children in their care, as well as their families, so that they can make this Christmas period as special and joyous for them as possible. So, if you are considering donating toward a great cause this Christmas, please consider Bear Cottage by visiting: https://bearcottage.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/get-involved.php

Many thanks to Bronwen Simmons for helping us plan this within such a tight timeframe, and kudos to all the staff and volunteers at Bear Cottage- the work you do is truly inspiring.

Fundraising Dinner by Saint Elesa Food Initiative- July 2022

Acropolis Funeral Services, as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving, are proud to be sponsoring the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Kogarah‘s inaugural fundraising dinner by donating $1,500 towards the initiative, whereby all proceeds from the night will go directly to the Saint Elesa Food Initiative to help provide food and other necessities to those in need.

Harmony Day at Willandra Aged Care- May 2022

Last week, Acropolis Funeral Services as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving, hosted one of our regular nursing home visits at Willandra Aged Care, Marrickville, for Harmony Day- a day where Australia’s cultural diversity is celebrated. Our staff provided morning tea, entertainment and small gifts for each of the residents, as a way to get all residents involved in a fun and joyous morning.

Thank you to Ekata and her staff at Willandra Aged Care for helping us organise the morning, and to John and Antonis for providing song and dance for the residents.

Easter Egg Collection- April 2022

This Easter, as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving, Acropolis Funeral Services donated chocolate easter eggs to the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Kogarah as part of their easter gift collection to be donated to the Street Buffet charity which provides meals for the homeless people at Woolloomooloo.
 
We hope that these chocolate treats will bring some joy to those in need over this year’s Easter Season, and wish everyone a safe Easter long weekend ahead spent with loved ones still with us, and celebrating the cherished memories of those who have left us.

St. Catherine's Christmas Raffle- December 2021

Acropolis Funeral Services, as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving, were honoured to have been able to provide three wonderful hampers to St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in mascot, as prizes for their Christmas raffle that will be drawn on New Years Day.

The Acropolis team bought a range of items from snacks, to toys and appliances, which we hope will be both practical and enjoyable, and hopefully put a smile on the well-deserved winners of each of the hampers over this Christmas period.

1st Prize : Hamper valued at $500.00
2nd Prize: Hamper valued at $300.00
3rd Prize: Hamper valued at $150.00

For those wishing to participate towards this wonderful cause, the raffle tickets will be available to purchase at all the weekday and Sunday services at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church, Mascot.

RMHC Tour and Donation- December 2021

On Friday 3rd December, Acropolis Funeral Services through their Project of Giving initiative, proudly supported the fundraising needs of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Randwick. Members of the team were provided with a tour of the house and were extensively briefed regarding the invaluable contributions of the organisation’s volunteers, their efforts and the services the organisation provides unconditionally to families and their children when in need. A big, warm thank you to Dianne and her team who were kind enough to share insights into this wonderful charity.

OEEGA NSW Fundraiser- November 2021

This month, OEEGA NSW held a radio fundraiser thanks to 2MM that allowed callers to donate to the Children’s Cancer Institute. Acropolis Funeral Services, as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving, called up this week to make a donation to this cause.

OEEGA NSW has been supporting the Children’s Cancer Institute since 2007 and has raised over $414,000 to date. Each targeted therapy treatment costs $10,000 per child, and OEEGA NSW aim to save as many children as possible. Acropolis Funeral Services is honoured to have been able to contribute to such a wonderful fundraiser and hope that our contribution helps to support a child on their journey through their cancer treatment.

St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church Donation- October 2021

While beginning to slowly come out of the recent NSW lockdown due to COVID-19, it has been difficult to organise community initiatives under restrictions in place. However, Acropolis Funeral Services as part of the Acropolis Project of Giving were honoured to donate $2,000 to St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Mascot to go towards the purchase of the Altar Curtain- Christ the Vine; a piece not only for the church, but for all congregants of the parish who are part of our Greek community here in Sydney.

Easter Food Collection- April 2021

For Easter, the Acropolis Project of Giving contributed towards the Easter Food Collection hosted by St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church, Mascot. Our team donated a bunch of food items and helped to sort them all out to give to different organisations:

  • Ronald McDonald House, Randwick.
  • Bayside Women’s shelter.
  • Pantry4thePeople, Botany.
  • Street Buffet, Woolloomooloo.
  • St. Catherine’s food distribution in conjunction with the St. Elesa Food Initiative.
  • St. Constantine and Helen Soup Kitchen, Newtown.

It was warming to see the community come together to help those in need, and it was lovely to meet so many wonderful people along the way.

Nursing Home Visit- March 2021

On Thursday 25th March, The Acropolis Project of Giving team, along with entertainer Sotiris, visited Acacia Nursing Home in Marrickville to celebrate Greek Independence Day. We donated the service of Sotiris to entertain guests, and provided a delicious afternoon tea for everyone who attended. It was a lovey day spent laughing, singing and celebrating Greek culture with all residents and staff.

Nursing Home Visit- March 2021

The Acropolis Project of Giving team was so happy to finally continue our morning tea visits to the aged care homes. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were not able to attend our regular visits. Yesterday, the team together with Tasos the bouzouki player visited IBIS CARE in Blakehurst. We donated the services of Tasos to entertain the residents as well as a lovely morning tea with delicious cakes, and a gift bag for all residents. We all enjoyed a morning of dancing, laughing and singing.

Christmas- 2020

In the days leading up to Christmas, the Acropolis Project of Giving team have proudly put together Christmas hampers to donate to the nursing homes across our local community. These gifts will be used as raffle prizes for festive events hosted by these nursing homes, whereby all proceeds will contribute towards improving facilities and resident experiences over this festive season. We wish all nursing home staff and residents a safe and joyful Christmas and New Year.

Christmas- 2020

This Christmas season, the Acropolis Project of Giving team bought 210 gifts to donate to the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. These gifts will be given to all the children spending Christmas at the hospital this year, as a way to bring them some joy and positive memories during this celebratory period. If you would like to donate to this cause, please visit the Sydney Children’s Hospital website and follow directions on how to donate- your donation will bring a smile to a child this holiday season.

World Kindness Day- 13th November 2020

This year, for World Kindness Day 2020, the Acropolis Project of Giving team bought 100 standard coffees to give away to customers at The Daily Greek, Earlwood, as a way of giving back to the community and contributing our good deed of the day to highlight the positive power of kindness that binds all human beings together.

The day was filled with lots of smiles and uplifting conversation. You never know what another person is going through- it takes only a little spark of kindness to bring an enormous burst of sunshine in someone else’s day. Happy World Kindness Day.