The finalists for the 2022 Westfield Local Heroes community recognition and grants program have been announced and among the names are at least four Greek Australians from centres across New South Wales.
This year’s finalists represent community role models who create positive benefits across a range of sectors including emergency services, registered community groups, sporting clubs, not-for-profit, schools, authorities, and the local environment.
The successful hero will be awarded a $20,000 grant for the group or organisation they represent, and each finalist will receive a $5,000 grant for their group or organisation.
Here’s our list of the four Greek Australian finalists.
Chanel Contos – Teach Us Consent (Westfield Bondi Junction, NSW)
Chanel Contos has changed the sexual consent narrative in the Eastern Suburbs and across Australia, helping sexual assault survivors find their voice and instigating education reform. Following Chanel’s Teach Us Consent petition, consent education will be mandatory in Australian schools, starting early and continuing until Year 10.
If Chanel is successful, Teach Us Consent will use its funds to work on the implementation of this consent education reform.
Jason Sotiris – SuperTee (Westfield Parramatta, NSW)
Devoted dad, Jason Sotiris, is bringing a little joy to children in hospital with his free superhero garments. So far, his Supertee charity has given away 8000 garments, which make life easier for hospital staff and bedside parents with their cape that transforms into a bib and openings for tubes.
If Jason is successful, SuperTee will use its funds to cover the cost of 445 Supertee Marvel edition garments for children at the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Karen Tsoumbaras – Project Youth (Westfield Miranda, NSW)
Karen Tsoumbaras is a beacon of hope for hundreds of young people facing long-term unemployment. In her role as the Employment Education and Training Manager at Project Youth, Karen gently guides people aged 12 to 24 through her program to help them access education that improves their employment prospects.
If Karen is successful, Project Youth will put the funds towards the operational costs of its training and education program, including the purchase of computers, work clothes and tools used by the students.
Katrina Ikonomou – Gunawirra (Westfield Sydney, NSW)
Social worker, Katrina Ikonomou, is a proud Dharug woman who goes above and beyond to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children in the Inner West. Katrina is the Dharug Clinical Manager at Gunawirra, a community-led organisation where cultural advisers and therapists work together to provide culturally appropriate healing services.
If Katrina is successful, Gunawirra will be able to fund much-needed additional clinician time and invest in training.
The voting period for Westfield Local Heroes has now opened and closes on Monday, August 22. To vote for your chosen finalist, please visit this website: westfield.com.au/local-heroes. Each Westfield centre’s successful hero will be announced on Tuesday, September 13.
*Please Note: The above finalists are those The Greek Herald could identify by their Greek name. If you believe you should be on this list please email us at greek@foreignlanguage.com.au.
