Safe Place Greece
Where Safety Begins Again for LGBTQIA+ Refugees & Single Mothers
A Lifeline Born Out of Urgency
In 2017, Athens was at a breaking point. LGBTQIA+ refugees and single-mother refugees were arriving from war zones, persecution, and extreme violence — only to find themselves homeless, unprotected, and alone in a foreign country.
Safe Place Greece (SPG) was born in that moment of crisis. We started with one simple promise:
No one should face danger, hunger, or homelessness after already surviving so much.
From that promise came action — fast and bold.
What We Built Together
In just a few years, SPG grew from a small grassroots effort into one of the most trusted community hubs for marginalized refugees in Athens.
With donor support, we have:
- Opened 20+ shelters for LGBTQIA+ refugees escaping violence or homelessness
- Created a community center that serves as a sanctuary of safety, dignity, and belonging
- Delivered food, essentials, and crisis support every single week
- Provided legal assistance for asylum and relocation
- Offered vocational training and pathways to independence
These aren’t just programs.
They are lifelines.
They are the difference between fear and safety, isolation and community, despair and a future.
Growing to Meet the Need
As refugee flows continued and needs evolved, SPG expanded once again.
Today, our new community center is a place where hundreds come for:
- Warm meals and basic necessities
- Counseling and psychosocial support
- Peer groups and leadership workshops
- Safe gathering space
- A chance to rebuild confidence and reclaim identity
We also partner closely with Positive Voice, Greece’s leading HIV organization, to make sure refugees have access to HIV & STI testing, prevention, and treatment support. For many, this is the first time in their lives they have had access to non-judgmental, confidential health care.
Our programs
As refugee flows continued and needs evolved, SPG expanded once again.
Today, our new community center is a place where hundreds come for:
- Warm meals and basic necessities
- Counseling and psychosocial support
- Peer groups and leadership workshops
- Safe gathering space
- A chance to rebuild confidence and reclaim identity
We also partner closely with Positive Voice, Greece’s leading HIV organization, to make sure refugees have access to HIV & STI testing, prevention, and treatment support. For many, this is the first time in their lives they have had access to non-judgmental, confidential health care.
Strengthening the Ecosystem of Care
SPG isn’t just a service provider — we are a connector.
We share our space with small grassroots initiatives working with migrants and LGBTQIA+ communities.
We serve as a donation hub, distributing thousands of pieces of clothing from Levi Strauss & Co. and other generous partners.
We make sure resources reach those who need them most — quickly, with dignity, and without barriers.
Our Mission
Since day one, our mission has been to build a strong, compassionate support network for the most marginalized refugees in Greece.
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We believe safety is the first step toward healing.
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We believe belonging is a form of liberation.
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We believe that when the world looks away, we must look closer.
Why Your Support Matters
Every donation creates immediate impact:
- A warm bed for someone who survived violence
- A meal for a mother who hasn’t eaten in two days
- Safe HIV testing and health support
- A pair of jeans for someone who arrived with only the clothes on their back
- A community where people are seen, affirmed, and loved
Your support fuels everything — from emergency response to long-term empowerment.
Join Us
Be part of a story of resilience, courage, and community.
Partner with SPG. Donate. Stand with those who need safety most.
Together, we can create a Greece where every refugee — no matter their identity or journey — has a place to begin again.
