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NEW YORK — Saint Basil Academy, the Greek Orthodox children’s home in Garrison, New York, has filed for a financial reorganization after being named in five civil lawsuits over allegations of child sexual abuse said to have occurred in the 1980s.
The Academy said in its announcement that it acted on the advice of its financial advisers and attorneys. It added that it will keep operating normally and caring for the children and families who live there while the process unfolds.
The lawsuits were brought under New York’s Child Victims Act. That 2019 law temporarily lifted the statute of limitations so that survivors of childhood sexual abuse could file claims that had long been time-barred. The Academy said it recognizes the lasting harm caused by such abuse and how hard it can be for people to come forward.
“Our responsibility is to approach these claims seriously and respectfully while protecting the children and families in our care today,” said Dr. Steven Gounardes, president of the Academy’s Board of Trustees.
Gounardes said the Academy’s finances leave it little room to settle the cases on its own. “The Academy operates solely on charitable donations, many of which are for restricted purposes that prevent them from being applied towards settlements of judicial claims,” he said.
Saint Basil Academy is seeking a reorganization that includes “a court-supervised resolution of the claims,” which Gounardes said would let it keep caring for those who depend on it and give its work a sustainable future. The Academy also declared its commitment to effective safeguards, prompt action on reports of abuse and reporting to civil authorities as required by law.
Saint Basil Academy is one of the Archdiocese’s oldest ministries. It was founded in 1944 through the vision of Archbishop Athenagoras, who later became Ecumenical Patriarch. Philoptochos chapters around the country raised the money to buy the former Jacob Ruppert estate, the Hudson River property of the brewer who owned the New York Yankees, overlooking West Point. It started as an orphanage and ran its own school until 1997.
Today it serves Orthodox and non-Orthodox children through three residential programs. One is for children and teenagers, one prepares young adults for independent living, and one shelters single mothers and their children facing homelessness, poverty or domestic violence. Philoptochos, AHEPA, parishes and individual donors continue to support it.
In a separate statement the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America said it has also been named as a defendant because of its affiliation with the Academy, which is a separately incorporated institution. The Archdiocese said it will keep responding through the legal process.
“The Archdiocese recognizes the lasting harm caused by sexual abuse and approaches every report with compassion and resolve. Its commitment to zero tolerance for sexual abuse is reflected in its Policies for the Safety of Children and Youth and Policy on Conduct by Clergy,” the Archdiocese said.
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