BALTIMORE, MD – This year, Orthodox Christians in the United States will commemorate twenty-five years of global philanthropic outreach by International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the official humanitarian agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.
IOCC was formed by the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), the predecessor to the modern-day Assembly, in 1992 along with lay leaders Mr. Charles R. Ajalat, Mr. Andrew A. Athens, and Mr. John G. Rangos, Sr. IOCC is also grateful for the faithful support of honorary board members Mr. George M. Marcus and the late Dr. George J. Farha, who both played essential roles in ensuring its growth and continued service over the last 25 years.
IOCC united the efforts of Orthodox Christians in response to the historic upheaval caused by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the wars in the former Yugoslavia, which displaced 2.5 million people. Since then, IOCC has provided more than $600 million in humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in more than 60 countries.
IOCC will host its second-annual fundraising event on Saturday, May 13 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan. The event, a wine reception with hors d’oeuvres, will celebrate IOCC’s 25th anniversary of delivering life-saving humanitarian interventions as an expression of the Orthodox faith and will feature a Q&A session with IOCC Development Officer Louis Zagami.
IOCC was created in 1992 in response to the collapse of the Soviet Union and to support innocent people caught in the crosshairs of war in former Yugoslavia, which is represented by the silver anniversary’s theme: “Inspired by Faith, Driven by Purpose.”
Today, IOCC is one of the only US-based humanitarian organizations operating on the ground in Syria and also implements programs in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Greece to support refugees. In addition, IOCC’s Give for Greece program provides assistance to Greek families whose livelihoods have been devastated by the ongoing financial crisis through food aid and job-creation programs in the agricultural sector. Elsewhere, IOCC is building schools in Haiti, helping the people of Ethiopia to combat podoconiosis and provide mobility for disabled persons, and supporting economic development programs in places like Kosovo and Gaza.
Local volunteers, led by event chair Marina A. Belessis-Casoria, have graciously organized the May 13 reception, which will also be attended by Fr. John Vlahos, Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral and members of the IOCC Board. IOCC also hopes to draw some of the estimated 800,000 Orthodox faithful who live in the Tri-State area.
Mark D. Stavropoulos is IOCC’s Chairman of the Board, who leads a diverse group of philanthropists and community leaders, all of whom represent IOCC’s pan-Orthodox constituencies. He commented on IOCC’s silver anniversary: “It has been my deep privilege to serve alongside my fellow Board Members, IOCC’s dedicated staff across the globe, our exceptional partners in the Orthodox Church, and our partner organizations to help those in need. We take care to select projects that are able to achieve the longest-possible impact amongst the highest-number of beneficiaries. And though our programs are meant to provide for others, our inspiring beneficiaries provide the entire IOCC team with immeasurable love, hope, and wisdom that keeps us humble in our work.”
More information is available at www.iocc.org/nyc. To learn more about upcoming IOCC events, global programs, and 25 ways to get involved during the 25th anniversary and beyond, please visit www.iocc.org and follow IOCC on Facebook and Instagram.
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