NEW YORK — In just one month’s time, the faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America have responded to the call of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, raising over 1 million dollars in order to provide support to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires in Greece this summer.
The campaign, which was launched online in early August, has had a robust response from every corner of the Greek American Omogenia. Individuals of all faiths and beliefs, who heard the news of the effort, visited the website to donate. Another key aspect of the fundraising campaign has been the participation of the parishes of the Archdiocese who, following the lead of Archbishop Elpidophoros, passed collection trays in their churches on August 15, the feast of the Mother of God. Over $500,000 has been raised from the combined giving of both individuals and the parishes of the Archdiocese. In addition, the effort has been supported by several organizations from across the nation, who have made substantial donations to the effort.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, reflecting upon the news of reaching one million dollars, remarked, “This is truly a humbling response to the horrific images, videos and stories we have all seen and heard this summer. Such a magnificent response, mostly coming from online and parish donations, reflects how deeply the faithful members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America connect with those in Greece; our relatives and friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will continue to raise the needed funds, while at the same time we will continue to pray for the safety and well-being of all those affected.”
As donations continue to be collected, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America continues to work hand in hand with IOCC in order to evaluate the immediate needs, while focusing on the long-term investment needed in the affected regions of Greece. Short term needs that have been identified include providing hygiene, food, and school supplies to low-income fire affected families, as well as agriculture supplies, while the long-term goals are currently focused on providing substantial assistance to low income families, small businesses and farmers.
One hundred percent of donations will go directly to those who are in need and to support the building up of local businesses throughout Greece. Any administrative costs will be fully paid separately by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. As program details are finalized in conjunction with IOCC, the Archdiocese will publicize both the NGO’s and organizations that it is working with, as well as a fully transparent accounting of all funds that have been raised and how they are spent. The full list of institutional donors can be found below.
For more information or to donate as an individual, please visit https://www.goarch.org/greecefiresdonate.
Participating Parishes
(*) denotes a Major Donor Parish who have contributed $1,000 or more
Archdiocesan District
Annunciation, NYC, NY *
Annunciation, Stamford, CT *
Church of Archangels, Stamford, CT *
Church of our Saviour, Rye, NY*
Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons, Southampton, NY*
Prophet Elias, Yonkers, NY *
Saint Barbara, NYC, NY
Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, NYC, NY *
Holy Trinity, New Rochelle, NY *
Kimisis Theotokou, Brooklyn, NY *
Kimisis Tis Theotokou, Poughkeepsie, NY
Panaghia, Island Park, NY
Saint Gerasimos, NYC, NY
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Jackson Heights, NY
Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY *
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Silver Spring, MD *
St. Barbara, Orange, CT *
St. Basil Academy, Garrison, NY
St. Demetrios Cathedral, Astoria, NY *
St. Demetrios, Jamaica, NY *
St. Demetrios, Merrick, NY
St. Eleftherios, NYC, NY *
St. George, Hartford, CT *
St. George & St. Demetrios, NYC, NY
St. John the Baptist, NYC, NY
St. John, Blue Point, NY *
St. Nicholas, Flushing, NY *
St. Nicholas, Newburgh, NY
St. Paul’s Cathedral, Hempstead, N Y *
St. Peter the Apostle, Bronx, NY
St. Sophia, Albany, NY *
St. Sophia, Syracuse, NY *
St. Spyridon, NYC, NY *
Transfiguration, Mattituck, NY *
Annunciation, Winston Salem, NC *
Chapel of St. Markella & St. Demetrios, Mary Esther, FL
Greek Orthodox Community of West Central Florida
Holy Apostles, New Berlin, NC
Holy Mother of God, Tallahassee, FL
Holy Resurrection, Hilton Head, SC
Holy Transfiguration, Marietta, GA *
Holy Trinity, Raleigh, NC
Holy Trinity, Augusta, GA
Holy Trinity, Port Charlotte, FL
Holy Trinity Holy Cross, Birmingham, AL *
St. Andrew, Miami, FL
St. Athanasios, Gulf Shores, FL *
St. Catherine, West Palm Beach, FL *
St. Christopher, Peachtree, GA
St. Demetrios, Ft. Lauderdale, FL *
St. George, Greenville, SC *
St. George, High Point, NC *
St. John the Divine, Jacksonville, FL *
St. Katherine, Burlington, NC
St. Mark, Boca Raton, FL*
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Tarpon Springs, FL *
St. Nicholas, Ft. Pierce, FL*
St. Nicholas, Spartanburg, SC
St. Philothea, Watkinsville, GA
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Fayetteville, NC
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Monroe, LA
Transfiguration Our Savior, Cashua Drive, SC
Annunciation, Newburyport, MA
Annunciation, Brockton, MA *
Assumption, Pawtucket, RI. *
Dormition of the Theotokos, Burlington, VT *
Holy Apostles, Haverhill, MA *
Holy Apostles, Dulles, VA
Holy Trinity, Norwich, CT *
Holy Trinity, Portland, ME *
Holy Trinity, Holyoke, MA *
Holy Trinity, Lewiston, ME
St. Catherine, Braintree, MA *
St. Gregory The Theologian, Mansfield, MA
St. John the Baptist, Boston, MA
St. Luke, East Longmeadow, MA
St. Nektarios, Roslindale, MA *
St. Nicholas, Manchester, NH
St. Nicholas, Clinton, MA
St. Philip, Nashua, NH *
St. Sophia, New London, CT
St. Spyridon, Worcester, MA *
St. Vasilios, Peabody, MA *
Sts. Anargyroi, Marlborough, MA
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Andover, MA *
Ascension of our Lord, Lincolnshire, IL *
St. Iakovos, Valparaiso, IN
Holy Taxiarhai & St. Haralambos, Niles, IL *
Holy Transfiguration, Mason City, IA
St. George, Rock Island, IL
St. John the Baptist, Cedar Rapids, IA
St. Nectarios, Palatine, IL *
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Swansea, IL *
St. Anthony, Springfield, IL
Assumption, Bridgeport, NE
Greek Orthodox Church Greater Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, UT *
Holy Trinity, Casper, WY
St. George, Albuquerque, NM *
St. John the Baptist, Euless, TX *
St. Nicholas, Grand Junction, CO *
Sts. Peter & Paul, Boulder, CO
St. John the Theologian, Webster, TX
Annunciation, Buffalo, NY
Annunciation and Agia Paraskevi, New Buffalo, MI
Annunciation Little Rock, AR
Assumption, St. Claire Shores, MI*
Assumption, Grande Blanc, MI
Church of the Holy Spirit, Rochester, NY
Holy Trinity, Carmel, IN *
Holy Trinity, Nashville, TN *
St. George, Southgate, MI *
St. Nicholas, Troy, MI *
Annunciation, Elkins, Park, PA *
Ascension, Fairview, NJ *
Cathedral of St. John, Tenafly, NJ *
Dormition of the Theotokos, Winchester, VA *
Evangelismos, Jersey City, NJ
Evangelismos of St. Theotokos, Philadelphia, PA
Annunciation Cathedral, Baltimore, MA *
Holy Transfiguration, Charlottesville, VA
Holy Trinity, Roanoke, VA
Holy Trinity, Westfield, NJ *
Holy Trinity, Egg Harbor Township, NJ *
Kimisis Tis Theotokou, Homdel, NJ
Nativity of Theotokos, Fredericksburg, VA
St. Andrew, Randolph, NJ *
St. Anna, Flemington, NJ *
St. Athanasios, Paramus, NJ *
St. Barbara, Toms River, NJ *
St. Demetrios, Upper Darby, PA *
St. Demetrios, Baltimore, MD *
St. Demetrios, Perth Amboy, NJ *
St. Demetrios, Williamsburg, VA
St. Demetrios, North Wildwood, NJ
St. Demetrios, Union, NJ *
St. George, Bethesda, MD *
St. George, Philadelphia, PA *
St. George, Media, PA *
St. George, Ocean, NJ *
St. George, Ocean City, MD *
St. George, Hamilton, NJ *
St. George, Lynch, VA
St. Katherine, Falls Church, VA *
St. Katherine, Fairfax, VA
St. Mary, Johnstown, PA
St. Nicholas, Virginia Beach, VA *
St. Nicholas, Wyckoff, NJ *
St. Nicholas, Roseland, NJ *
St. Nicholas, Atlantic City, NJ *
St. Nicholas, Baltimore, MD
St. Sophia, Malvern, PA*
St. Theodore, Lanham, MD
St. Thomas, Cherry Hill, NJ *
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Newport News, VA *
Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral, Richmond, VA *
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Reading, PA *
Sts. Mary Magdalene & Markella, Bel Air, MD
Sts. Peter & Paul, Frederick, MD
All Saints, Weirton, WV *
Annunciation, Wilkes Barre, PA
Annunciation, Farrell, PA
Annunciation, White Oak, PA
Archangel Michael, Campbell, OH
Holy Trinity, Pittsburgh, PA
St. Demetrios, Rocky River, OH
St. George, Huntington, WV
St. John, Charleston, WV
St. Nicholas, Bethlehem, PA *
St. Nicholas, Youngstown, PA
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA*
St. Spyridon, Clarksburg, WV
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Cleveland Heights, OH
Metropolis of San Francisco
Annunciation Cathedral, San Francisco *
St. Andrew Apostle, San Luis Obispo, CA
St. Anthony, Pasadena, CA *
St. Demetrios, Tucson, AZ
St. George, Shreveport, LA
St. John, Las Vegas, NV *
St. John the Baptist, Anaheim, CA *
St. Nektarios, Covina, CA
Sts. Constantine and Helen, Cardiff by the Sea, CA *
Source: goarch.org