The Eftychia Project
Helping Greek Adoptees Find Their Roots
About Us
Ever since our President, Eftychia/Linda Carol Trotter, found her Greek family in June 2017, she had it in her heart to "pay it forward", so to speak, by helping other Greek adoptees find theirs, at absolutely no cost to the adoptee. Out of that desire, and with the help of dear friends with like minds, The Eftychia Project was born. We are a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization classified as a public charity with tax-exempt status by the IRS. Donations to our organization are tax-deductible (Pub 78).
We are devoted to providing assistance and support to Greek-born adoptees searching for their roots and Greek families searching for their children lost to adoption. We also seek to advocate on behalf of all Greek-born adoptees with the Greek government concerning the issues of transparency about our adoptions, unfettered access to our adoption and birth records, a DNA database for adoptees and their biological families, and Greek citizenship for all Greek-born adoptees. Our current board of directors consists of 3 Greek-born adoptees and a Greek family member searching for their lost children: President, Linda Carol Trotter; Vice-President, Pangiota "Toula" Vrisiotis; Treasurer, Merrill Jenkins; Secretary, Dimitrios Christo.
While we aid Greek-born adoptees (those born in and adopted from/in Greece) from any era, we especially want to assist the thousands of Greek children adopted by American parents in the scandal-ridden years between 1948 and 1962, as time is running out if we have any hope of finding our birth parents still living. Your interest and support of our efforts are greatly appreciated.
If you are a Greek adoptee looking for your Greek roots or a Greek family looking for an adoptee and you would like to request assistance, please send your request to the emails listed in the Contact Us section of the website, to our general email at TheEftychiaProject@gmail.com or click on the Facebook link on the homepage to send a message to our Facebook account. For media inquiries, please send your requests to info@theeftychiaproject.org
Second Annual Greek Adoptee/Greek Family Reunion 2023
***IN OCTOBER 2023, DON’T MISS THE SECOND ANNUAL GREEK ADOPTEE/GREEK FAMILY REUNION, A ONE-OF-A-KIND, AMAZING INTERNATIONAL GATHERING OF GREEK-BORN ADOPTEES AND GREEK BIOLOGICAL FAMILIES IN BEAUTIFUL GREECE!!!***
Building upon the amazing success of our First Annual Greek Adoptee Reunion in August 2022, Greek-born adoptees and Greek biological families, regardless of group or organization affiliation, are invited to join us in our homeland of Greece for this first-of-its-kind international gathering for a time of fellowship, learning and fun. Join us on our adoptee/family group trip, which begins and ends in Athens and includes the 2-day Reunion/Conference (the trip is designed primarily for those coming from outside of Greece, but everyone is welcome to join us on the trip) or for our 2-day Reunion/Conference event in historic Nafpaktos.
***REGISTER NOW FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL GREEK ADOPTEE/GREEK FAMILY REUNION - OCTOBER 2023***
~ The first international gathering of Greek adoptees searching for their roots and Greek biological families searching for their children lost to adoption~
~hosted by Greek adoptees for Greek adoptees/families, offering a magical opportunity for connection with each other and the building of a global Greek adoptee/family community~
Join us this October for an unforgettable time of fellowship, learning and fun in our beautiful homeland of Greece. Choose either the Group Trip (which includes the Reunion/Conference in Nafpaktos) or the 2-day Reunion/Conference only. We can't wait to see you in beautiful Greece, so register today!!
OPTION 1: GROUP TRIP Begins/ends in Athens - plan to be in Athens no later than the afternoon of 14 October, 2023 - includes the 2-day Reunion/Conference in Nafpaktos
October 14-19, 2023
***PLEASE NOTE: The group trip price is now reduced to $300 per person, as hotel rooms (2 nights in Athens and 3 nights in Nafpaktos) are no longer included, as we no longer have any remaining rooms at the group rate at the Reunion hotels. You may still go with us on the trip, but you will be responsible for making reservations?paying for your own rooms in both Athens and Nafpaktos. So be sure to try to book rooms at or near the same hotels or make arrangements for transportation to the Reunion hotels, as the tour bus will load and unload only at the Reunion hotels.
Cost: $300 per person ***The cost is in dollars, but it should automatically charge you in euros (or your home country’s currency) – the cost in euros is always cheaper than dollars***
Deadline to register: 30 September, 2023
Group Trip Itinerary: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:0d75e9ad-9f53-4ac0-94ab-13ca6444ec68
Group trip includes the following:
1) Tour bus transportation for the entire trip
2) Opening ceremonies and Welcome reception in Athens October 14 in the evening
3) October 15 - Visit to Vrefokomeio Athinon (Athens Municipal Orphanage), Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Plaka
4) Octiober 16 - Visit to Mitera Orphanage, Demonstration in front of Parliament for birth/identity rights; then on to Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth; Visit to Patras Orphanage and Agios Andreas; arrive Nafpaktos early evening
5) Registration for Reunion/Conference Oct 17-18 at the beautiful Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior - includes: 2-day Reunion/Conference and all related activities, syllabus in English/Greek; goody bag; lunch both days; walking tour of Nafpaktos with local guide; Welcome Cocktail party; Farewell Dinner Greek Taverna night with food, music and dancing;
6)October 19 - visit Ancient Delphi and Arahova, return to Athens late afternoon
***To register for the Group Trip, FIRST follow the registration link below, THEN use the payment link to pay for the registration***
To register for Group Trip: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe50jGetmFp_jiKEV_HTeyY7vK4XmJugUhGK7nuyb0m5zDzNg/viewform?usp=sf_link
To pay for Group Trip:
Link to pay for 1 person $300.00: https://square.link/u/wIPojhI3
Link to pay for 2 persons $600.00: https://square.link/u/tREJQoOo
OPTION 2 - REUNION/CONFERENCE ONLY OPTION: 2-DAY REUNION/CONFERENCE ONLY, IN HISTORIC NAFPAKTOS, OCTOBER 17-18, 2023
COST: $40 Deadline to register is September 30, 2023 ***The cost is in dollars, but it should automatically charge you in euros (or your home country’s currency) – the cost in euros is always cheaper than dollars***
Cost includes the following:
· Opening ceremonies and Welcome Reception in Athens on Saturday evening, October 14, 2023 for those able to attend.
· Registration for the Reunion/Conference, to be held at the beautiful conference center of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Skala, Nafpaktos - includes syllabus (in English and Greek) and goody bag, lunch both days, evening cocktail party/reception on October 17 and the Farewell Dinner (with Greek food, music and dancing) at a local taverna on October 18, plus added bonus walking tour of Nafpaktos with local guide
· On both days, the program will begin at 9:30 am and end at 5:00 pm (17:00). Walking tour of Nafpaktos will begin at 5:45 pm on October 17, while the welcome cocktail party on will begin at 8:30 pm (20:30) and the Farewell Dinner on October 18 will begin at 8:00 pm (20:00). The 2 days will include:
***Dynamic speakers and presentations about subjects and issues vital to Greek adoptees and Greek families, with some sessions in Greek and English, with live translations, including: DNA testing; using genealogy to trace one’s roots; life in Greece in the Cold War period; history and services of the International Social Service Greece; an inside look at the Greek adoption scandals, including the notorious Agios Stylianos scandal; the mission of the Eftychia Project and its advocacy on behalf of all Greek-born adoptees and Greek families; tools, tips and resources for Greek adoptees and their biological families; and more
· Fun activities especially for Greek adoptees and Greek families: Greek coffee hours, Greek adoptee/Greek family story time, Greek Adoptee/Greek Family Wall of Fame Museum, fun photo booth and more!
· There are numerous hotels on or near both Psani and Gribovo beaches in Nafpaktos and within walking distance to numerous cafes, tavernas, ouzeries, mezodopoleios and bakeries. There are also numerous rooms and small apartments to let on third-party booking sites like booking.com and airbnb. You are responsible for making your own accommodation and transportation arrangements to/from/in Nafpaktos.
· You may pick up your registration credentials, syllabus and goody bag at the Plaza Hotel lobby in Nafpaktos on October 16 from 8:00 pm (20:00) until 10:00 pm (22:00), or on October 17 at the monastery conference center beginning at 8:00 am.
***To register for 2-day Reunion/Conference only, FIRST follow the registration link below, THEN use the appropriate link to pay for the registration:
To Register: https://forms.gle/xM7nswoqLduhsyEx6
To Pay Registration Fee for 2-day Reunion/Conference in Nafpaktos for 1 person: https://square.link/u/Vwqgc1Di
To Pay Registration Fee for 2-day Reunion/Conference in Nafpaktos for 2 persons in same family/group: https://square.link/u/Oezgvd0v
***A pdf copy of a Zoom presentation, with the details of the Reunion and international travel tips, can be found here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:ffdaf5a0-78eb-490e-8031-53a257ddbde9
So register for the Reunion today! We cannot wait to welcome you to our beautiful homeland of Greece!!!
OUR THANKS TO OUR GROWING LIST OF SPONSORS AND ADVERTISERS:
Τhe "Orphans" From Greece - A Powerful Documentary
***WATCH THIS BEAUTIFULLY-DONE, AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY BY ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST ANDREAS BOUSIOS FOR VICE-TV SPECIALS***
In Τα "Ορφαωά" από την Ελλάδα (The "Orphans" From Greece), the Greek adoptions of the the dark Cold War decades of the 1950's and 1960's are seen through the eyes of three differnet people: two Greek-born adoptees, Merrill Jenkins and Linda Carol Trotter, and a Greek family member searching for his lost siblings, Bobby Kalogeropoulos. While the voice=overs and Mr. Kalogeropoulos' interview are in Greek, the interviews of Jenkins and Trotter are in English. We hope to soon have a copy of the film with English subtitles. The film won multiple awards at the recent DIME Digital Media Awards in Greece. Truly one of the best documentaries about this dark page in Greece's history.
https://video.vice.com/gr/video/the-orphans-from-greece/63ce708329c972063d033fc1
The Eftychia Project & "My Big Fat greek wedding 3"
It all started when, on a whim, Eftychia answered a casting call on Facebook for superfans of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. She never expected to hear anything back — after all, thousands of people responded to the call. But, suddenly, she was cast in a joint production of Focus Features and Rotten Tomatoes in conjunction with the release of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3”, which was filmed just 4 days before she left for Greece yet again. You can follow the link below to watch the video - watch until the very end to see a special little clip filmed in Nafpaktos. This was an amazing opportunity to bring the mission of The Eftychia Project to the attention of a much larger audience. We can’t wait to watch "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" - how about you?
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/were-just-like-my-big-fat-greek-wedding/
Events - greek adoptees have voice at un meeting
Thanks to Lynelle Long of ICAV (Intercountry Adoptee Voices), Greek-born adoptees will have a voice in Geneva, Switzerland as the UN marks the one-year anniversary of the release of the Joint Statement on Illegal Intercountry Adoption. The program will feature testimony from the lived experiences of intercountry adoptees and biological parents. From Lynelle:
The Agenda for the UN Joint Committees with presentations from lived experience and States on Illegal Intercountry Adoptions is now confirmed. For those who want to follow this event live, it will be avail on the UN TV here: https://media.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16z33p1uc
If you wish to specifically register for this specific event to view it, you can create a registration and have a login and will be notified of the session you have selected to register for. You can register here: https://indico.un.org/event/1001843/registrations/11719/
PROGRAMME: • Date: 20th September 2023
• Time: 3pm-4.50pm CET
• Location: Room XXI, Palais des Nations
AGENDA
- Opening: presentation of the Joint Statement: 5 minutes Committee on Enforced Disappearances
- Illegal intercountry adoptions: testimonies of victims, and States experiences: 25 minutes
Moderation: Chair of the WGEID
1. Presentation of the Panel (3 minutes)
2. Testimony of a victim of illegal intercountry adoption: RAIF (Réseau des Adopté-es à l’International en France): Johanna Lamboley (5 minutes) [in person]
3. Testimony of biological parents in Uganda (5 minutes) [video]
4. Illegal intercountry adoptions from the perspective of States: France (TBC): experience of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and how the Joint Statement can help future related actions (8 minutes)
- Relevance the Joint Statement: why is the Joint Statement relevant, what actions should be taken to implement it, and by whom?: 50 minutes
Moderation: Chair of the CRC
1. Perspective of the victims: President of Racines Perdues (coalition VAIA): Coline Fanon (5 minutes) [in person] \Spokesperson for Back to the Roots: Celin Fässler (5 minutes) [online]
President of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV): Lynelle Long (5 minutes) [online]
Representative of RAIF: Emmanuelle Hebert (5 minutes)
2. Perspective of States: Ukraine: investigation of illegal intercountry adoptions: progress of the inquiry, lessons learned, and how the Joint Statement can help future related actions (8 minutes)
3. Perspective of involved Human Rights Mechanisms: how the mechanisms are planning to further promote the Joint Statement and facilitate its implementation:
Perspective of involved Special Procedures (10 minutes [5 minutes each]): representatives of the Special Procedures involved (WGEID [in person], and SR on Trafficking [online])
Perspective of involved Treaty Bodies (10 minutes [5 minutes each]): representatives of CED and CRC [in person]
- Questions and answers: 15 minutes
Moderation: [TBC]
- Closing: 14 minutes
1. Testimonies of biological parents in Ethiopia and Republic of Korea – (5 minutes each) [video]
2. Testimony of a victim of illegal intercountry adoption from Greece: Linda Trotter (4 minutes) [in person]
3. One of the Chairs or rapporteurs (5 minutes) [in person] (TBC)
The Lost Children of cold war greece video
Contact Us for free help
Information
For general information about The Eftychia Project, please contact us by clicking on the email link below.
Greek Adoptee Help
If you are a Greek adoptee looking for family members, please contact us by clicking on the email link below.
Greek Family Help
If you are a Greek family searching for loved ones, please contact us by clicking on the email link below.
Donations
The Eftychia Project is grateful for the outpouring of support we have received worldwide. If you would like to make a donation to The Eftychia Project to help us in continuing our mission of providing assistance and support to Greek adoptees searching for their roots and Greek families searching for their lost children, you may do so through our PayPal account or by mailing a check or money order to our mailing address The Eftychia Project,1224b Columbia Ave #110, Franklin, TN 37064. Please make checks or money orders payable to "The Eftychia Project". We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kind and generous support!
$25
PARTNERSHIPS
The Eftychia Project is pleased to partner with MyHeritage to provide free DNA kits to Greek-born adoptees searching for their roots and Greek families searching for their children lost or, presumably lost, to adoption. MyHeritage is one of the largest DNA companies in the world and has the largest DNA database in Europe. We are grateful to MyHeritage for their generous donation of DNA kits and for their technical and research support. To visit the MyHeritage website: www.MyHeritage.com.
ADVOCACY
***IN 2021, THE EFTYCHIA PROJECT LAUNCHED A GREEK-BORN ADOPTEE-LED INITIATIVE FOR A DIALOGUE WITH THE GREEK GOVERNMENT CONCERNING TRANSPARENCY, ACCESS TO RECORDS, A DNA DATABASE AND GREEK CITIZENSHIP FOR ALL GREEK-BORN ADOPTEES***
***GREEK-BORN ADOPTEES, WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!***
TEP is passionate about furthering the quest of a growing chorus of Greek-born adoptees for the Greek Citizenship they so rightfully deserve and the other pressing issues of supreme importance to all Greek-born adoptees/Greek biological families that need to be addressed by the Greek state which, at the very least, owes us the opportunity to present our concerns and the courtesy of hearing us out:
(1) We believe that the knowledge of their roots and their biological family origins are basic human rights of all adoptees
(2) We believe that Greek-born adoptees and Greek biological families are entitled to transparency from the Greek government and all Greek adoption-related institutions and organizations reagrding these adoptions
(3) We believe that Greek-born adoptees are entitled to unfettered access to Greek court, orphanage, institutional and organizational records related to their adoptions, as well as copies of ALL of their adoption-related documents
(4) We believe that Greek-born adoptees and Greek families are entitled to the establishment of an adoptee/biological family DNA database by the Greek state for the purpose of reuniting adoptees and their biological families, at no cost to either the adoptee or the biological family
(5) We believe that all Greek-born adoptees are entitled to Greek citizenship, and that the pathway to Greek citizenship should be streamlined, with minimal bureaucratic processes and at minimal or no cost to the adoptee
If you are a Greek-born adoptee, your input is vital for formulating this citizenship plan and presenting these issues to the Greek government. Your lived experiences are crucial to this initiative. If you would like to participate, please email us as soon as possible at theeftychiaproject@gmail.com and let us know of your interest and your contact information. We will then email you information regarding partcipation. It is our hope that by Greek-born adoptees working together, we will be able to convince the Greek government to right the wrongs of the past, to open the door to those documents and records to which we are entitled and to which access for many of us has been denied, to establish a DNA database through which we might be reunited with our biological families, and to reclaim the Greek citizenship that is our birthright. There is strength in numbers - let's work together and make what has long been a dream into a reality!
Advocacy Update
The Eftychia Project is at Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Η Ελλάδα στον Κόσμο.
***THE EFTYCHIA PROJECT MEETS WITH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ATHENS IN THE PUSH FOR GREEK-BORN ADOPTEE BIRTH AND IDENTITY RIGHTS AND GREEK CITIZENSHIP***
***THE EFTYCHIA PROJECT MEETS WITH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ATHENS IN THE PUSH FOR GREEK-BORN ADOPTEE BIRTH AND IDENTITY RIGHTS AND GREEK CITIZENSHIP***
The Eftychia Project (TEP), along with MP Stathis K. Konstantinidis of Kozani, met on Monday afternoon, November 8, 2021, with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Diaspora Greeks, Andreas Katsaniotis, to discuss the fight of Greek-born adoptees for their birth and identity rights, including their right to Greek citizenship. TEP presented a bound formal statement that included an introduction to the Greek adoptions, the four main issues for Greek-born adoptees (transparency, open records, Greek citizenship and a collaborative DNA database) and proposed solutions for each of these issues. Also included in the statement were emotional letters from multiple Greek adoptees in which they expressed their feelings about their Greek identity and why Greek citizenship was so important to them.
The hour-long meeting covered all four issues, with particular emphasis on Greek citizenship and that the proof of our citizenship is contained in the Greek passports with which we left Greece for our new adoptive homes. Political and legislative solutions to the citizenship issue were also discussed. The Deputy Minister has pledged his support and now the work begins to determine how the Greek government can bring our hopes and dreams to fruition.
This is only the beginning of a collaboration with the Greek government for the justice that Greek-born adoptees have long-deserved but have been so long denied. As so aptly put by Mr. Margaritis, Director of the Diplomatic Cabinet, also present at the meeting, "You have suffered long enough". Yes, we have, Mr. Margaritis --- yes, we have. On behalf of Greek-born adoptees everywhere, our thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their invaluable help and support.
***If you are a Greek-born adoptee and would like to be actively involved in our adoptee-led initiative with the Greek government for our birth and identity rights, please send us an email at theeftychiaproject@gmail.com***
Forms to Download
Immigration Form G-639
Photos
