Environmental action
A year of collective action, care and the persistent fight for cleaner neighborhoods.
Impact summary 2025
SAVE YOUR HOODAbout Save Your Hood
Born out of a shared desire for cleaner, more beautiful and healthier neighborhoods, Save Your Hood rekindles the connection between people, their neighborhoods and the natural environment. Aligned with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, it protects neighborhoods and habitats from everything that threatens them.
In spring 2020, during lockdown, Vassilis Sfakianopoulos decided to become the protector of his own neighborhood. On 15 November 2020 the first Save Your Hood cleanup took place — and the idea spread like a positive virus across Greece and beyond.
The movement with the largest number of active volunteers in Greece. Autonomous, growing groups across the country are created by individual initiatives and strengthened by trained coordinators — the voice, eyes and ears of each team.
We set an example through continuous action; we stop blaming and stay positive in how we think, speak and act.
We understand the big picture but start change from our neighborhood.
We act independently of public bodies and companies, gaining trust and avoiding conflicts of interest.
We work for the public good, not personal gain. We stay humble and put mission before ego.
We act transparently and are accountable to our local communities and the SYH family.
Founder | Global Movement Coordinator. MSc in Product and Systems Design Engineering; left his role as Creative Director to dedicate himself to environmental protection.
Administration. MSc in Rhetoric, BA in Economics; experienced in administrative support in the humanitarian sector.
Animal Welfare. BA Accounting & Finance; former pharmacy executive who devoted herself to animals.
Community Fundraising Officer. BA Sociology, MSc in Environmental, Disasters and Crises Management Strategies.
Present when the neighborhood needs us most.
SAVE YOUR HOODEducation
Every life matters.
In coordination with the Ministry of Interior and Civil Protection, specialised 3–4 person teams with full PPE and a 4x4 extract companion and farm animals from danger zones during active wildfires.
Remote data collection per crisis and rapid 15-minute spot-checks determine whether a mission is viable and which safety tier is required.
"Closed missions" with experienced rescuers, "open missions" with public volunteers when safe, and remotely guided missions by local citizens.
Teams scan designated sectors to locate surviving animals and record losses, matching skill level to terrain.
Every animal gets hydration and a field assessment; serious cases are stabilised and transported to ANIMA or Dog's Voice.
A seamless chain of custody for long-term care until animals can return to their natural environment.
Under a memorandum with the Ministry of Interior, we coordinate animal welfare organisations nationally during crises.
The environment around the 45th Primary School faced aesthetic degradation and a lack of green infrastructure. Through participatory workshops, the SYH Youth Squad guided students in co-designing a large-scale mural, building waste solutions for cigarette butts and pet waste, and designing environmental signs with eco-friendly materials. 52 students took part and 106 people attended the inauguration.
In collaboration with Deree – The American College of Greece, the team mapped the stream, documented active and inactive pipes, collected water samples for chemical analysis and recorded biodiversity and pollution hotspots. 8 volunteers carried out the fieldwork; findings were presented at a closing event with 12 attendees.
For the 4th year in a row, and together with the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, we ran 2 three-day volunteer cleanups in protected wetlands of Messinia: 83 volunteers and 5,610 liters of garbage collected from critically polluted points. Plastic pollution was recorded using the Interreg Mediterranean protocol, feeding EU scientific data.
On July 5 the movement started, for the 4th year, its biggest volunteer experience, inviting everyone throughout July and August to take waste with them when leaving the places they visit. 194 volunteers were mobilized and 29,685 liters of garbage were collected.
Awarded by the Ministry of Interior for the joint creation with ANIMA of the first national-scale Wildlife Rescue Network, recognized for saving 400+ animals during the 2025 wildfire season.
Commended by the International Fund for Animal Welfare for providing remote and on-the-ground guidance and protocols to other NGOs during national disasters.
Awarded for "Best Practices" in Mediterranean conservation, citing the sociocratic volunteer model as a blueprint for European grassroots movements.
Profiled by Global Climate Action for urban resilience and transforming "neighborhood anger" into structured climate adaptation.
Recognized for "Educational Innovation and Youth Empowerment" through the 90+ school-based experiential programs conducted in 2025.
Distinguished for the most impactful "Corporate-Civic Synergy", documenting the mobilization of 52,000+ volunteers across 289 municipalities.
Awarded for the Worldline & SYH partnership, highlighting measurable environmental footprint reduction in urban centers.
International coverage of the Kifisos River medical waste scandal.
The investigative report that sparked a national health and environmental debate.
"Find your smile from an ant" — a keynote on resilience and grassroots activism.
Video documentary on the movement role in driving behavioral change.
Interview on the challenges of volunteerism in modern society.
Strategic collaboration focused on urban sustainability and climate action.
Multi-partner volunteer action with Sanitas and AB Vassilopoulos.
Integration of corporate workforce into SYH's national volunteer network.
A review of the movement's 4-year impact and municipal reach.
Highlighting successful 3-day regional cleanup operations in Messinia.
Participation in the Environmental Park at Alsos Veikou with hands-on workshops and experiential learning games for youth.
Community engagement at Alsos Veikou, strengthening ties with local youth organizations.
Photography exhibition and information kiosk at SEF, focusing on marine conservation and coastal health.
Major appearance at the SNFCC with the "Garbage Museum" installation and a live radio interview.
Presentation of the Wildlife Rescue Network with the "Hope Does NOT Burn" photography exhibition.
Total expenses: € 140,170.65
Elevate awareness about pollution in Greece and Cyprus, inspiring a collective shift towards environmental responsibility and sustainable practices.
Empower individuals, private and public bodies to take action and create healthier neighborhoods that support both human and ecological well-being.
Integrate environmental education into the school system with interactive lessons and hands-on activities.
Advocate for and implement improved waste management systems: waste reduction, recycling infrastructure and responsible disposal.
Respond effectively to natural disasters, rescuing and safeguarding wildlife and companion animals.
A 3-phase immersive curriculum (theatrical play, analysis, field action) delivered to 40 schools in Athens, Thessaloniki and Chalkis, engaging 1,000+ students.
A "team reset" to audit and reactivate local groups, starter packs for verified teams, 10 supercleanups in crucial habitats and an optimized volunteer platform.
DI.D.A.Z. (Wildlife Rescue Network) is Save Your Hood's wildlife pillar: trained volunteer rescuers who respond to emergencies — injured, trapped or fire- and flood-affected animals — and hand them over to veterinary care. It runs with ANIMA's support and has its own platform, didaz.org. In 2026: training and certification for 20 specialists, workshops for 9 remote teams and 8 full rescue kits.
Salaries (+30% growth), rent, software, compliance
Training, remote workshops, rescue equipment
Supercleanups, consumables, volunteer platform development
40 schools, travel, immersive props
Ministry of Interior
The CleaningansA Save Your Hood pillar · 2025
Trained volunteer rescuers and veterinary expertise, with ANIMA, for animals affected by wildfires and emergencies.
Since 2018: 238 missions, 9,485 participations, 1,783 animals helped.
More on didaz.org