Chios Refugee Crisis

Hello everyone this is Sol and Ethan back from our trip. It was more than a success! A list of what the funds went to is on the CESRT Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/chiosesrt/?fref=ts. Recently we have been receiving a flurry of much appreciated donations in Ethan’s god brother Dashiell Mortell’s name. He was taken too soon and we’ll all miss him too much for words. We’re planning on collaborating with CESRT on what to do with these funds. There is always a need for warm clothes and blankets that we surely will help provide and we are speaking with some coordinators about paying the rent for some of the amazing facilities that CESRT has set up.
As I'm sure most people know, Dashiel was one of the most unique, kind, loving boys who left an impression on everyone he met. Those who were at the memorial saw the wide variety of people that were touched by Dashiel in the many avenues of his life. We'll love and miss Dashiel forever.
Below you will find a summary of the work we did over the summer that was written before this last trip.




Hey everyone. Ethan and I are going on another trip back to Chios, Greece this winter for two weeks to work in the refugee camps. When Ethan was in Chios in the winter of 2016 it got cold enough for it to snow. If you've seen some of the pictures that I posted from our last trip, you can see that the conditions on the island can't properly support the 2,500 refugees and climbing in the summer, let a lone the freezing temperatures come November. Since we left in July, we've been told that boats have been arriving almost everyday, sometimes more than three at a time. The refugees are not given free passage to Athens so the number of refugees on the island of Chios is rising steadily. They stay in inhumane camps, adults are not allowed to work, most of children are not in school and food and sleeping arrangements are inadequate. On our last visit, we were able to provide some recreation for the children, on some nights helped provide water and food, and we started a couple of music projects that gave some much needed mental relief to the adults, as well as the minors.

We know that your donations last time made a huge difference and we hope that we can do the same going back in December. The money you donate can equal a meal for a whole family, school supplies for a child, or clothing for an unaccompanied minor. We are eternally greatful for everyone who has supported us from the very beginnging, whether it be by donating, showing up to events, or reposting our posts on facebook; thank you. Our goal is to give some relief to the mothers, fathers, children, and babies living through this horrible crisis and put a smile on their beautiful faces. 

Playing with the children at Vial (one of the 3 camps)
Soccer tournament with 64 unaccompanied minors from Vial
Packing 1,000+ meals at the Zapporeak kitchen
Ethan teaching guitar to the 14 unaccompanied minors in Kivotos