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, Safe Place Greece 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.

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.

We believe safety is the first step toward healing.

We believe belonging is a form of liberation.

We believe that when the world looks away, we must look closer.