Greek Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Domna Michailidou met Archbishop Elpidophoros of America in New York to discuss strengthening Church and State welfare cooperation.
The meeting took place during Michailidou's official visit to the United States for the 81st United Nations General Assembly. Talks focused on forming a strategic partnership between the Holy Archdiocese of America and the Greek government to expand community care networks.
Focus on disability and elderly care
According to an official announcement, the central topic of discussion was the creation of new support structures for people with disabilities. The proposed initiative aims to combine the established local presence and grassroots reach of the Orthodox Church with public sector administrative tools and state funding policies.
The discussion also encompassed wider social care challenges facing both citizens in Greece and members of the Greek-American diaspora. Special priority was given to expanding elderly care services, extending support for individuals with autism, promoting social inclusion, and providing direct assistance to family caregivers.
The Greek Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family was established to unify national welfare programs, manage demographic policies, and support vulnerable families across Greece. The Holy Archdiocese of America, based in New York City, functions as an eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, overseeing hundreds of Greek Orthodox parishes, educational institutions, and charitable organizations across the United States.
Diaspora ties and national stability
During the meeting, Michailidou and Elpidophoros highlighted the enduring bond between the Greek-American community, the Archdiocese, and the Greek state. They noted that maintaining strong diaspora connections is vital for exchanging practical expertise and refining social welfare policies in both nations.
Archbishop Elpidophoros emphasized the deep connection the diaspora maintains with Greece, stating that their heart remained in the homeland and that their vision was to care for the country. Referring to Greece's current progress, the Archbishop noted that it was comforting to see the country advancing and to know that citizens recognized that improvement, adding that state governance had delivered needed stability.
Combining resources for future welfare
Michailidou stressed that effective social welfare requires joining forces across institutions, noting that the Church remains consistently close to everyday citizens and maintains a powerful presence within local communities.
The minister explained that the government seeks to pair that community strength with state policy mechanisms to build more specialized facilities for disabled individuals and their families in areas where need is highest. The meeting concluded with both leaders expressing a mutual commitment to formulate specific next steps for institutional cooperation between the ministry and the Archdiocese in the field of social care.
