The Hellenic Heritage Foundation Greek Canadian Archives (HHF GCA) grew out of the Greek Canadian History Project (GCHP)—a joint initiative launched by Athanasios (Sakis) Gekas and Christopher Grafos in 2012. The GHCP’s mission was to preserve and facilitate access to historical materials illuminating aspects of Greek immigrants’ varied experiences in Canada.
Over the next decade, Gekas, Grafos, Kali Petropoulos (the GCHP’s Public Relations Coordinator), and dozens of community volunteers organized memorable events, exhibitions, and historical walks. The project’s success inspired further investment. On September 22, 2021, York University announced that it had received a $1.4-million gift from the Hellenic Heritage Foundation to aid in preserving, cataloguing, digitizing, and teaching Greek Canadian history. The GCHP acquired a new name, and the HHF GCA was born.