Emily Iglendza was approached by her parish priest, Fr. Nabil Hanna, to be the IOCC parish representative at St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Without hesitation, Emily accepted, and began sharing IOCC's life changing work with fellow Orthodox Christians in the Indianapolis community.
On January 30 of this year, Emily chaired an event jointly hosted by St. George and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church – a Dessert Reception for IOCC with a special presentation by Nick Chakos, IOCC Development Officer. "Nick's presentation painted the accurate picture of true stewardship," Emily said. "In these times of corrupt leaders and shocking news stories, it is very refreshing to learn of IOCC's commitment to reducing overhead and administrative expenses so those in need – our brothers and sisters in Christ – are impacted the greatest. The integrity of IOCC is remarkable and serves as a model to other humanitarian organizations."
This was not the first IOCC event that Emily and her parish participated in. During the aftermath of the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, Emily and her fellow parishioners helped pack 1,000 emergency kits for those in need affected by the disaster. Emily hopes to continue this act of giving by hosting an annual "Kits for Kids" event, where children will assist in putting together emergency health kits for those affected by man-made or natural disasters.
As you can see, the dedication of Emily's role as a parish representative comes in many ways: by organizing events, encouraging her parish to participate in special appeals, and using hands-on projects to engage others in the work of IOCC. Her participation exemplifies her favorite scripture reference, "You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. God loves a person who gives cheerfully." 2 Cor 9:7
Emily became part of the Orthodox faith in February of 1999. She, her husband, Lazar, and two daughters reside in Carmel, Indiana. They attend St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. She also serves as the Charity Ministry Team leader and assists with the parish's annual Middle Eastern Festival.
If you would like to know more about how you can become involved in making a difference in the lives of those in need just like Emily, please contact Megan Carniewski, IOCC Outreach Coordinator at mcarniewski@iocc.org or toll free at 877-803-4622.
