Philoptochos
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
Who is Philoptochos?
The beginning of the Philoptochos Society can be traced back to the late 19th century when hundreds of immigrants were arriving daily into the United States. In 1931, Archbishop Athenagoras identified the urgent need to provide philanthropic and relief services to the poor and to those struggling to assimilate into the American cultural life and recognized how women could have a role in the life of the Orthodox Church. Their focus was to welcome newcomers and to help them adjust to their new environment. He established the National Philoptochos Society as the official philanthropic arm of the church. Today, Philoptochos chapters are located in every Greek Orthodox parish in the United States with 427 chapters and over 25,000 members.
Our Mission
To aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick ,the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church through fund raising efforts;
To promote the charitable, benevolent, philanthropic and educational purposes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, through instructional programs, presentations, lectures, seminars and other educational resources;
To promote participation in the activities of the Greek Orthodox community, with the cooperation of the parish priest and parish council;
To preserve the perpetuate the Orthodox Christian concept of marriage and family, and through it, to promote the Greek Orthodox faith and traditions, in accordance with its doctrines, canons, discipline, divine worship, usages and customs.
Our Name
Our name, derived from the Greek words, “philo” (friend) and “ptochos” (poor), means “Friends of the Poor”.
Our Charter
Evangelistria Chapter 7002 of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral was chartered in 1943 and has nearly 150 members today.
Missions, Committees, and Volunteers
Through the Philoptochos ministries and committees, we serve our community to help those in need. If you would like to volunteer for any of these ministries or committees, please click on “Become a Volunteer”. If you have any questions about a specific ministry or committee, click on the ministry or committee name and email the chair. If you have any other questions, please send an email to htcphiloptochos@gmail.com.
Agora Greek Market: Monthly offerings after liturgy of traditional Greek food staples, from organic Greek Olive oil to avgolemono soup in a jar!
Baking Sessions: Share your culinary skills – or non-culinary skills at fun baking sessions
Bread and Bowl Soup Kitchen: Help feed the hungry at North Meridian United Methodist Church
Breast Cancer Awareness Sunday: Lovely coffee hour to promote awareness and inspire donations
Education Committee: Identify and work with local schools in need.
Fundraisers: Event(s) to raise monies for philanthropic outreach. (Two per ecclesiastical year)
General Meetings: Typically include an educational presentation, Philoptochos meeting and of course food!
Giving Tree: Aid in coordinating Christmas gifts for needy children
History in Action: If you love to organize and find treasures, this is a great committee to archive our history.
Kindness in Action: New initiative from our National Philoptochos. Our imagination is the limit!
Lenten Retreat: Assist in the coordination of Lenten retreat. HTC hosts every other year
Membership Committee: Help with outreach and spreading the word of our beloved Philoptochos
Memorials: Assist with the preparation of the Kolyva.
Merciful Help Center: Assist in the many ways we partner
Palm Sunday Meal: Be a part of coordinating a lovely meal for our cathedral family.
Parish Day of Service: Be a part of the team to keep our cathedral spic and span both inside and out
Philo Food: Assist with meal preparation and distribution to our HTC family members.
Philoptochos Web Page: Share your computer savvy with the upkeep of our new webpage
“Shut ins” Visitation: Spend time with beloved Holy Trinity members who can no longer attend church services
Student Outreach: Work with OCF to help our young college students stay connected to our Faith.
Vasilopita Luncheon: Collaborate for this beautiful luncheon.
Membership
Philoptochos fulfills its mission to “help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, those with disabilities and the victims of disasters” through its members, like YOU. Our ministries are funded entirely by membership and our fundraising events. Your Philoptochos membership is a wonderful way to show your support to these and other charities which make a difference to those less fortunate. We welcome both women and men to consider joining Philoptochos – giving your time, talents and treasures. We are thankful for any amount of which we provide a $21 per member commitment to the Archdiocese and Metropolis. Learn More
News
Resources
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For Memorials, please contact Holy Trinity Cathedral office. If you have any other questions about Philoptochos, please send an email to htcphiloptochos@gmail.com.