American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association
Encyclopedia
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) is a service organization founded on July 26, 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia
. Its mission is to support Greek-American charities, causes, and communities. It works closely with the Greek Orthodox Church
. Its ladies' auxiliary, the Daughters of Penelope, was founded in 1929. It supports two youth groups, the Sons of Pericles (established in 1926) and the Maids of Athena (1930).
The AHEPA was founded as a fraternity in Atlanta, Georgia in July 1922 following growing attacks on Greek Americans and Greek American businesses by the Ku Klux Klan
(KKK) and others. Its initial mission was to promote the image of Greeks in America, assist them with citizenship and to fight against KKK attacks. With the full assimilation of Greek Americans, its mission evolved toward philanthropy, education, and promoting and preserving the Hellenic identity of the Greek Americans.
through the AHEPA Cooley's Anemia Foundation and a Greek descent bone marrow registry. The organization also works on education and advocacy issues in Washington relating to Greece and Cyprus and US policy.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Its mission is to support Greek-American charities, causes, and communities. It works closely with the Greek Orthodox Church
Church of Greece
The Church of Greece , part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
. Its ladies' auxiliary, the Daughters of Penelope, was founded in 1929. It supports two youth groups, the Sons of Pericles (established in 1926) and the Maids of Athena (1930).
The AHEPA was founded as a fraternity in Atlanta, Georgia in July 1922 following growing attacks on Greek Americans and Greek American businesses by the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
(KKK) and others. Its initial mission was to promote the image of Greeks in America, assist them with citizenship and to fight against KKK attacks. With the full assimilation of Greek Americans, its mission evolved toward philanthropy, education, and promoting and preserving the Hellenic identity of the Greek Americans.
Philanthropy
Philanthropic efforts include $600 million in senior housing projects, extensive local and national scholarship programs, fighting ThalassemiaThalassemia
Thalassemia is an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease that originated in the Mediterranean region. In thalassemia the genetic defect, which could be either mutation or deletion, results in reduced rate of synthesis or no synthesis of one of the globin chains that make up hemoglobin...
through the AHEPA Cooley's Anemia Foundation and a Greek descent bone marrow registry. The organization also works on education and advocacy issues in Washington relating to Greece and Cyprus and US policy.