Thank You to Our Souper Bowl MVPs!
Thank you to all the parishes and volunteers who took action and tackled hunger on February 11! The Souper Bowl of Caring is a great way to help those in need in your local community, as well as to support IOCC in sharing Christ’s love around the world. Many of you took collections, shared IOCC with your friends and neighbors, donated to your local food pantry, and more. Thank you for being Souper Bowl MVPs!
Volunteers Needed in Western Kentucky
On February 1, the US Program kicked off its rebuilding efforts in Marshall County, Kentucky, part of our long-term recovery work following tornadoes that devastated the area in December 2021. Through generous volunteer support, IOCC has already completed repairs on one home! To help IOCC serve tornado survivors and restore their properties to their prestorm condition, join us in volunteering for a home build. Volunteer opportunities are available through July 31, 2024. Room and board are available for out-of-town volunteers. You’re invited to help for a day, a week, or longer! Please contact Krista Hamann at volunteercoordinator@iocc.org or 667.331.9812 with any questions or to set up a team.
Coming Soon: Lenten Resources and Recipes
IOCC will begin sharing our annual Lenten reflections, along with stories of your almsgiving at work and fasting recipes to support your Lenten journey. Keep an eye on your inbox throughout Lent, and visit iocc.org/lent for even more Lenten resources. Past years’ resources are already posted—check them out!
How a Teenage Girl Is Helping Lead the Way
Tena, a 17-year-old student in Amhara, Ethiopia, knew little about podoconiosis, or “podo,” before she attended an IOCC-organized program on her school campus. There, she learned that nearly half a million people in Ethiopia’s Amhara region are affected with this debilitating disease. Now, she says that she will actively spread the message to her family, friends, and community about the importance of washing feet and shoe-wearing to help create awareness around the little-known affliction.
Since 2010, IOCC has been the only organization in the Amhara region educating communities about podo’s causes and prevention and helping treat those who have the disease. Young, energetic teens like Tena spark hope that with the knowledge of this disease and the willingness to spread that knowledge, we can help reduce the cases of podo in Ethiopia. Read Tena’s full story here.
Volunteers in Action
Thank you to the IOCC volunteers across the country who support our mission every day!
Greensburg, PA
St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Greensburg recently participated in their 10th Annual School Kit drive for IOCC. This outreach project is sponsored by the Antiochian Women of St. Michael’s. This year, enthusiastic school students assembled 100 school kits to send to children in need around the world. Our heartfelt thanks go to Fr. David Hyatt, Constance Volchko, Khouria Melanie Bell, and to the Sunday School students (pictured above).
Little Falls, NJ
On February 3, around 150 supporters from five Orthodox parishes in the North Jersey area gathered for A Taste of North Jersey to Benefit IOCC at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Little Falls. The guests were thrilled to be together and share their love for people in need served by IOCC. The hors d’oeuvres, delicious desserts, and a variety of wine and beer donated by Stew Leonard’s were much enjoyed. Music by Jodie and the Normals added a festive air to the evening. The cork competition was very popular, and the winners were excited to discover what type of wine they won. IOCC Development Officer Lou Zagami thanked participants for their support over the years and offered an update on IOCC’s worldwide work, focusing on Ukraine, the Holy Land, and the US. Guests were inspired by and expressed their gratitude to IOCC field staff for their hard work and dedication. Our heartfelt thanks go to Stratos Mandalakis, Anastasia Economos, Fr. Nicholas Belcher, Rima Bandelli, Vasiliki Tsigas Fotinis, the entire committee, event’s supporters, generous donors, and all the volunteers for their time and effort to make this such a wonderful event!
Milwaukee, WI
On February 10, our Milwaukee Metropolitan Committee hosted their 10th Annual Tailgate Event to raise money and awareness for IOCC. The evening started with a beautiful Vespers service and concluded in the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cultural Center, where guests enjoyed Milwaukee classics—beer and bratwurst! IOCC Development Officer Nick Kasemeotes shared with the guests the latest updates about IOCC’s worldwide programs and IOCC Board member George Djurasovic talked about why he loves IOCC, its mission, and its wonderful work. IOCC Outreach Manager Corina Mararu discussed her time managing programs in Romania and Africa, giving vivid details about the work she did and the people she interacted with while overseas. A heartfelt thanks to Katherine Newhouse, Fritz and Nicki Usinger, Nick and Beth Kasemeotes, Ana Treptow, Phillip Losey, Fr. Panteleimon, Fr. Ciprian, and all the members of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Committee who worked very hard to put this evening together.
Denver, CO
On February 11, the Denver Metropolitan Committee held a Souper Bowl of Caring event to benefit IOCC and a local food pantry. The event was held after Divine Liturgy, and the efforts of our wonderful volunteers raised funds for IOCC and collected non-perishable food items for the pantry! A special thank you to Elaine Karubus and Chris Skogen, who put in so much time and effort to plan this event.
Atlanta, GA
Parishioners at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia, participated in Souper Bowl Sunday and learned more about IOCC Frontliners’ work through firsthand accounts from Frontliners Shelly Sudia and Helen Katsoudas, members of the Annunciation Cathedral. They shared stories from their deployments and spoke about how IOCC is responding in the US following floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. The IOCC Souper Bowl of Caring Drive continued until February 26 to raise funds for IOCC and canned goods for Intown Cares, a local pantry. Special thanks to Fr. Christos Mars, Vickie Klemis, Shelly Sudia, Helen Katsoudas, and to all generous donors from Annunciation Cathedral who supported this fundraiser!
Upcoming Events
Interested in planning your own virtual or in-person event to raise awareness about IOCC? Get one on the calendar today! We’d love to help you organize, so please contact IOCC’s Outreach team at 410.243.9820 or outreach@iocc.org.
Check for updates at iocc.org/events. And thank you for partnering with us!
March 2 – Austin, TX – Arabian Nights Holy Land IOCC Fundraiser
May 16 – Chicago, IL – 32nd Annual IOCC Chicago Grand Banquet
April 13 – Pittsburgh, PA – Youth Health Kit Drive and Assembly
IOCC Is Hiring
Bring your expertise to an organization making a difference around the world and join our team. Know someone who would be a perfect fit? Please pass this info along to them! For full job description and application instructions, visit iocc.org/careers.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Officer – HQ
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