REACT - Refugee Assistance Collaboration in Thessaloniki

On 25 October 2015, Greece and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees committed themselves to the European Commission to implement a program to provide 20,000 reception and temporary accommodation in Greece. The project concerns Asylum seekers and candidates for relocation from the country (Relocation scheme). In this context, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, implements the project RE.A.C.T. (Refugee Assistance Collaboration in Thessaloniki) for the above groups in the form of rented accommodation and adoption of families of refugees from families in Thessaloniki. In order to cope with such an important undertaking, a social partnership was formed with a leading partner of the Municipality of Thessaloniki and with partners the Municipality of Neapolis-Sykies, the Municipality of Kalamaria, the Region of Central Macedonia, the SAN and the NGOs GCR, PRAKSIS, ARSIS, and the Hellenic League for Human Rights. The aim of the program is to ensure decent living conditions for beneficiaries of international protection for refugees who have applied for asylum and relocation, with emphasis on vulnerable social groups. The aim is to create 620 reception and temporary accommodation in rented apartments, 40 in the host families of Thessaloniki and 28 in the Shelter for Asylum Seekers’ Families.