Philanthropy Witness

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1 Subscribe Past Issues Translate View this in your browser Philanthropy Witness The Official Newsletter of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society March 2018 Calling All Women to Join Our Noble Journey For more than 85 years, generations of dedicated Orthodox women have embraced the teachings of our Lord when He said, I came to earth not to be served, but to serve. Philoptochos stewards have answered that call by faithfully serving the underprivileged, the homeless, the ill and the hungry, offering comfort and hope to those in need. It is clear, however, that the ongoing strength of Philoptochos is dependent upon our continued growth so that we may perpetuate our mission of philanthropy through future generations. As we endeavor to attract new members, here s the question that we must answer: What does it mean to be a member of Philoptochos? A few significant points to consider: First, as a member of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, you join an army of women chapters and 25,000 members strong---to promote charitable, benevolent and philanthropic outreach, to preserve the sanctity of life and family, and to perpetuate our Orthodox faith and traditions. That is the Philoptochos mission. Through our many ministries, we reach across America and overseas to serve others whenever we can help. And as we are painfully aware, the number of people needing our assistance continues to grow. Your membership means you are part of an organization whose philanthropy has totaled more than $23 million since 2002 and who, in 2017, disbursed an impressive $1,737,511 through its ministries and programs. And this $1.7+ million does not include philanthropy disbursed at the chapter or metropolis levels. Imagine what that total would be! Your annual stewardship commitment, which includes $15 to the National organization, means that

2 you are personally helping to support many worthy programs that include: Saint Basil Academy serving children who are experiencing difficult family circumstances; Aid to Greece and Cyprus assisting our brethren suffering economic hardship United Nations International Children s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) helping to protect the rights, health, and wellbeing of children worldwide; International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) offering worldwide emergency relief and development programs to those in need Autism Fund providing assistance to those within the autism spectrum. Cancer and Other Major Illnesses Fund aiding those with cancer and other lifethreatening conditions Children s Medical Fund providing medical assistance to critically ill children and grants for innovative research programs to pediatric hospitals and organizations. Social Services Fund providing individuals with support, financial assistance and referrals to other social service resources; Emergency Fund providing relief both at home and abroad to victims of natural disasters Go to for a complete listing of commitments, programs, and philanthropic projects Local chapter membership means being part of fundraising for causes and charities that are relevant to your chapter and greater community. You have the opportunity to participate in the most rewarding facet of Philoptochos ---using your time, talent, and compassion in hands-on service to those in need! Most importantly, being a member of Philoptochos means that we glorify our Lord by seeking out and serving those of his children who have the least and need the most. And we do so within a sisterhood of love, faith, camaraderie, and generosity. Philoptochos recognizes that a woman s time is both valuable and limited, especially for younger working women with growing families. The beauty of Philoptochos is that chapters can embrace causes that interest its membership, where time, talent and effort are devoted to specific philanthropic causes. Is it children s issues that touch your heart? Are you increasingly concerned about social issues like human trafficking and opioid addiction? Are you interested in simply lending a hand to help feed the hungry, collect warm coats for the homeless, or granting a Christmas wish to an underprivileged child? Whatever your particular interest may be, there is a place for you in Philoptochos! Philoptochos is developing new programs to meet the needs of a changing society. We are initiating new, hands-on programs to serve our parishes and engage the services of young women, who wish to

3 participate, but are often unable to attend meetings. Social and technological progress bring inherent challenges. Today s youth are plagued by problems unknown before the explosion of the Internet and smart phones. These include technology addiction and cyber bullying. In response, Philoptochos is developing educational initiatives to educate and inform our parishes about the causes, warning signs and responses to help our communities protect their young members. Another initiative being developed focuses on the epidemic of opioid addiction. Because of this increasing crisis, opioid addiction will be a major topic on the agenda at the National Philoptochos Biennial Convention in We live our faith actively. And though we live in an ever-changing world, one thing that remains constant is our commitment to helping those in need. As our national president Maria Logus has so eloquently stated, Service to our church, our community, and our world was our past, it is our present and it will be our future. We thank all Philoptochos members for sustaining our mission, and we invite women of all ages to join us on this noble journey so that we can continue to grow and expand our good work for generations to come! Stump Speech 2018 Is Now Available Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 We might all agree that Philoptochos is the best-kept secret! We re trying to change that. At the 2016 National Philoptochos Biennial Convention, your Public Relations Committee promised to provide the Metropolises and Chapters with a speech, which they could use at events and meetings and would inform our communities about the work of Philoptochos. The newly revised National Philoptochos Stump Speech 2018 is now available through the national office. We encourage all Metropolises and chapters to give the speech at meetings and events to inform our communities about the scope of our philanthropic work. If all of us spread this message across the

4 country at events, it will go a long way toward increasing the visibility of Philoptochos. A copy of the speech can be obtained by contacting Helen Lavorata at hlavorata@philoptochos.org. Mezze, Margaritas and Membership A Chapter's Creative Way to Attract New Philoptochos Sisters Submitted by: Presvytera Carolyn Nastos, Annunciation Church, Fort Myers, FL We are a chapter ready to burst with activities! The idea of Mezze, Margaritas and Membership came from another chapter a year ago. They had hosted the same type of event. Our committee of Pam Strikis, Nancy Koupelis, Joanne and Debra Stamos, Presvytera Carolyn Nastos and Athena Fisk brought our ideas together and made it happen. Our Spiritual Leader, Fr. Dean Nastos, granted us blessings for hosting this event. Invitations were handed out to all women at Coffee Hour taped to a pen for them to remember. We reminded them through phone calls and bulletin inserts. We sent out over 100 s and just kept inviting ladies to come and encouraged men too. Our event was intended to bring women together for a casual gathering, in our courtyard, under the palm trees. A letter for offering of stewardship was sent at the end of year. We offered name tags and a margarita glass or lemonade for everyone. Because many of our members come from all different Metropolises to reside here in Sunny Florida, we gave a little history about Philoptochos and shared that the women of Philoptochos come from all walks of life and showed pictures of a bride, a red hat lady and a Superwoman doll, and shared that every woman can be a member -- it just depends on how you would like to participate. By the end of the night, 30 women attended and paid their Stewardship and went out feeling good about the event - and wanted to do it again. Membership grew from this fun time. We will be hosting our 1st Annual Festival of Tables March 11th and half of our NEW WOMEN from that night, volunteered to be hosts at this event.

5 National Philoptochos Feed the Hungry Program Announces The Million Meal Challenge! Which Chapter Will Provide the 1,000,000 th Meal?

6 Following the tremendous success of the Feed the Hungry challenge to provide 250,000 meals by the 2016 biennial convention (we provided 754,285 meals nationwide), Philoptochos has raised the bar and is challenging chapters to provide 1,000,000 meals by the 2018 convention. Which chapter will win the award at the convention for providing the millionth meal? In order to compete for this award, chapters must send in their meal count. Please send your numbers and photos (no faces of guests, please) to your Metropolis liaison, or to but not to both. This is an opportunity to have some fun while serving those in need. Join us in this hands-on challenge. Remember, our President has challenged us to do more doing. Together, we can make a difference! Philoptochos Lenten Retreats Metropolis of Atlanta The Metropolis of Atlanta Philoptochos will be having our 12th Annual Spiritual Retreat on March 16-18, 2018 at The Diakonia Retreat Center. The theme of the retreat is Reaching IN to reach OUT, "Preparing our Lives for Philanthropy." Father Mark Leondis from St.Mark Greek Orthodox Church, Boca Raton, Florida will be the presenter.

7 Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos On March 10, the Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos will host its 36th annual Lenten Retreat at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago with the Very Reverend Archimandrite Timothy G. Bakakos as Retreat Master. The topic is The Body: Temple of the Holy Spirit Raising Diabetes Awareness. Concurrent presentations will be offered in Greek and English by two area Clergy and two Physicians from the University of Chicago Medicine. Information will be presented specific to those living with Diabetes as well as on increasing Diabetes awareness with the ultimate goal of prevention. Equally important, the clinical information will be tied into the needed spiritual component. For, as it is said, in Ephesians 5:29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it just as the Lord does the church. The day promises to be spiritually uplifting, informative and enlightening. Saint George Church Philoptochos Ocean, New Jersey St. George Church's Lenten Retreat was held on Saturday, February 24th. The guest speaker, Father Ted Paraskevopulos, is a regular on Ancient Faith Radio. He is the founder of the catechetical movement called "Re-Catechism" which endeavors to reeducate current Orthodox adults on the teachings of the Orthodox Faith. St. George Church flew Father Ted in from Toronto, Canada to lead the Lenten Retreat. This was a wonderful way to start the lenten journey together as a community. Holy Trinity - St. Nicholas Church Philoptochos Cincinnati, Ohio Submitted by: Philanthy Nichols, Retreat Chairperson Establishing Godly Priorities in Changing Times is the theme of our Lenten retreat on Saturday, March 10, at Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Our world is constantly changing and our lives are ever-changing. This requires Christians to adapt in order to keep our priorities

8 and lives centered on God. Our parish retreat is unique because it will be facilitated by two Sisters from the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration, Ellwood City, PA. The monastery was founded in 1967 by Mother Alexandra (the former Princess Ileana of Romania) whose dream it was to provide a place where American Orthodox women from all ethnic backgrounds could come to live the monastic life and benefit from a liturgical cycle in English. Our sister parishes and Philoptochos chapters from within the neighboring Ohio and Kentucky areas have been invited to join us for a day of fellowship and spiritual nourishment. On Friday evening, the Sisters will join us for the service of The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, which will be followed by a Lenten reception to welcome them to Cincinnati. We will have books for sale from the monastery and a Lenten lunch will be provided by the ladies of Philoptochos. In the afternoon, a presentation will be given by one of the Sisters on the History of the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration and Life of Mother Alexandra (Princess Ileana). Philoptochos will send a donation to the monastery from the proceeds of the registration fee. It is our chapter s hope that by sponsoring this retreat and offering hospitality to the Sisters, our parish family and neighboring parish families, that we can all emerge from Great Lent with greater self awareness, the tools to grow as individuals in Christ and to establish Godly priorities in changing times. Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration, Ellwood City, PA Sisterhood of the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration

9 Ss. Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Church Philoptochos Roseland, New Jersey Submitted by: Cassandra Porter, 1st Vice President & Learning Coordinator May each of us get closer to God and through Him to each other this Lenten Season. We invited ALL of our adults, young and old, women and men, to our annual Lenten Retreat. In the spirit of the Resurrection and fellowship, we wanted to invite all to attend our third annual Lenten retreat sponsored by the Ladies Philoptochos St. Dorkas Adelphotis, (Mary & Martha)3 =Putting Your Faith into Action presented by Vasiliki Tsigas-Fotinis, PhD. The retreat will be held on Saturday, March 10 at The Sumas Hall of Ss. Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 80 Laurel Avenue, Roseland, NJ. The engaging presentation will explore universal dilemmas faced by all Christians (men and woman alike) who seek to honor and explore their relationship with Jesus Christ while living in an increasingly secular society. The day includes opportunities to exchange ideas and meet others in the community while enjoying a light (yet healthy) breakfast, snacks and lunch. A Children's Camp will be available with advanced registration..

10 St. Paul Church Philoptochos Irvine, CA This year our PreLenten - Lenten Outreach was scheduled at the end of January, a time when many people "resolve" to clean out, de-clutter and reorganize! Our appeal was to benefit Working Wardrobes in Orange County, CA, and it was most successful! Coordinated by our Board Member, Linda Livadas who is also a Working Wardrobe volunteer, we promoted this project through our weekly Sunday Bulletin, our parish monthly, "Good News," and a prominently displayed poster. All donated items had to be in very good condition, clean, and on hangars. The one picture included here is a partial display of the overwhelming response from our St. Paul's parishioners. Over FIVE racks of "high end" clothing - in addition to handbag, shoes, and other accessories...1,598 items in all... were donated and delivered to Working Wardrobes where they were then distributed to WW "boutiques" for sale and to help outfit clients to re-enter the work force. Working Wardrobes does not just provide an article of clothing thoughtfully passed on to someone in need. For Working Wardrobes clients, donations of clothing and accessories represents so much more: a new outlook on life, confidence, self-esteem and self sufficiency. Proceeds from WW "boutiques" help fund counseling in interviewing skills, resume development and career counseling in addition to wardrobe

11 assistance. WW clients come from all walks of life, but one thing is constant: they have faced significant and personal challenges and professional barriers on their road to employment. Every day Working Wardrobes provides the opportunity to overcome these challenges so that clients can realize the Power of a Paycheck! We are blessed to be able to reach out to our community and are most thankful to our St. Paul's parishioners for their continuing support of our philanthropy. Stop Bullying in Your Community In the previous edition of the Philanthropy Witness we published an article about the National Philoptochos Society's Educational Initiatives. The newest installment is the Anti-Bullying Curriculum targeted for GOYA-Aged Children in 7th - 12th grades. It is comprehensive and uses various mediums to teach our youth. The resources are all on the Anti-Bullying Curriculum page which you can find here:

12 Metropolis of San Francisco Philoptochos Hosts Diakonia Project at the 42nd Annual Greek Orthodox Folk Dance & Choral Festival (FDF) The Metropolis of San Francisco Philoptochos Board and FDF participants gathered together to host a Diakonia Project at FDF on January 11, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Francisco, California. Volunteers starting as young as five years old partnered with siblings, FDF dancers and singers, and Philoptochos members assembled 500 nylon drawstring bags filled with personal care items for the homeless in San Francisco. Included in the bags were personal messages written by the FDF participants, conveying their encouragement and support. The Metropolis Philoptochos members also donated gift cards and additional funds for food to feed these 500 people. The recipients of this beautiful demonstration of faith in action was Compass Family Services, an organization that was established over 100 years ago that is dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk families become stably housed, emotionally and physically healthy, and economically self-sufficient. UPLIFT was the theme for the 2018 FDF and this collaborative project between the Metropolis of San Francisco Philoptochos and FDF provided an opportunity to inspire, motivate, empower and UPLIFT people who are struggling to obtain the basic necessities of life. It was a wonderful time of fellowship together in hands-on service to those in need!

13 Smile Shop at Smile.Amazon.com and 0.5% of the price of your purchase will be donated to Philoptochos What could make a Philoptochos member happier than shopping and benefitting Philoptochos all in one step? While the matching total from Amazon does not seem that large, multiply it by hundreds and thousands of transactions and the amount donated to Philoptochos could make a significant impact! Philoptochos members unite! Let s join together to shop and benefit our organization to continue its philanthropic work! Read the information below on how each of us can help. AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) is the charitable division of Amazon.com. Customers enjoy the same wide selection of products and low prices as on Amazon.com, with the added benefit of knowing that 0.5% of the purchase price will be donated to the charitable organization of their choice. Log on to smile.amazon.com and you will be prompted to enter a charitable organization. Enter National Philoptochos, and in the future, always shop on smile.amazon.com. 0.5% of the price of your purchases will automatically be donated to Philoptochos each time you shop. The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc.

14 Seeks Applicants for Two New Positions Please click the job title below for more information Development & Information Officer Assistant Social Worker March National Ministry Commitments Orthodox Christian Missions - Support a Mission Priest By: Markella Balasis, Agape/SAMP Coordinator Philoptochos shares in the daily ministry to our brothers and sisters in Africa and Southeast Asia through the Orthodox Christian Mission Center s Support a Mission Priest (SAMP) program. In 2017, Philoptochos donated $36,000, enough to sponsor 60 SAMP priests for a full year. The SAMP program not only assists priests and deacons, but now also includes two bishops! His Grace Bishop Neofitos (Kongai) and His Grace Bishop Athanasios (Akunda) both graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. As priests they were sponsored by the SAMP program for many years, and SAMP continues to support them in their ministry as bishops in Kenya. His Grace Bishop Neofitos writes, You cannot imagine how many souls you are saving through your effort to support needy priests. For us in the Diocese of Nyeri and Mt. Kenya, the last two years have been an abundance of blessings! We have seen the true light and have received blessings through our brothers and sisters. Truly with God all things are possible! Also in 2017, Philoptochos provided $25,000 in grants for Orthodox Missions to support two OCM shortterm medical Mission Teams to Guatemala and Indonesia. Dr. Cheryl Johnson was part of the Indonesia Mission Team that volunteered at the RSU Theotokos Orthodox Hospital in Medan. She notes, There is a lot of diabetes and hypertension in Indonesia, probably from their carbohydrate and sweet-laden diet. We talked a lot about the importance of diet and medicine. She experienced what it means to spread the gospel by offering her skills as a medical professional. Cheryl affirms, The important part of the short-term mission is to bring together Orthodox Christians both

15 in the U.S. and across the world. Nicholas Manuel volunteered with a Mission Team in northern Guatemala at the Fr. Andrés Giron Clinic on a health care outreach. The team treated 228 villagers over five-days. Nicholas took each patient s vitals: I was able to hold every patient s hand. Each encounter helped me see and understand the person in front of me. I believe it is through each hand that I encountered Christ within the other person.

16 The pictures above are of the OCM medical team and His Grace Bishop Neofitos. Hellenic College Holy Cross Lenten Event Proceeds from National Philoptochos HC/HC Lenten Appeal Make a Difference on Campus By: Arlene Siavelis Kehl, Chair All Philoptochos chapters are reminded to hold an event to benefit the operational expenses and infrastructure projects of the school around the Feast of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, which this year is celebrated on Sunday, March 18, By honoring this national ministry commitment, we, the Philoptochos, are helping Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology to make ongoing improvements to the facilities, furnishings and systems to ensure a better student experience and learning environment. In 2017, on behalf of the chapters throughout the country, from the proceeds of our Lenten Appeal Fundraisers, National Philoptochos donated $86,500 to Hellenic College/Holy Cross for the continued refurbishment of the Polemanakos Dormitory, the information technology upgrade in the Skouras Classroom Building, and new athletic equipment for the intramural teams. In the fourteen-year period between 2004 and 2017, $1,066,400 was disbursed in total from this fund. The importance of Hellenic College, the only fully accredited Orthodox Christian college in the western hemisphere, and Holy Cross, the oldest and largest Orthodox Theological institution in America to our Church cannot be overestimated. Let s do our part to help our beloved Scholi in promoting our culture and faith. Let s support the National Philoptochos HC/HC Lenten Appeal and make a difference on

17 campus. Photos of the HCHC campus are by Caroline Alden Photography.

18 Technology Safety Tip When traveling, be careful about logging on to a wifi network that looks like a hotel network.

19 Hackers establish network names that resemble hotel names. For example, if you're at the "Fiesta Americana" hotel, a hacker might establish the network, "Fiesta Americana Pool." You log in because you think it's a stronger signal at the pool, but when you log in to that network, all of your information can be stolen. If you shop, they can get credit card information; if you go to your bank website, they can get passwords to your bank account. There's a chance that even if you don't log in to the fake network, your phone might "auto-join." What to do? 1. Don't join the hotel wifi. Stay on your 3G or 4G network 2. Disable the "auto-join" or "ask to join network" function in your settings 3. Don't stay logged in; log out every hour or so and log back in National Philoptochos Online Giving Page By clicking on the button below, an individual can make an online donation to National Philoptochos ministries such as Aid to Greece & Cyprus, Children's Medical Fund, National Philoptochos Social Services and more. The page can also be accessed through via the Side Bar. Donate If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or articles you'd like to submit to this publication, please contact communications@philoptochos.org. This was sent to elkaram@comcast.net why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society National Philoptochos Office 126 East 37th Street New York, NY USA

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