Building Resilience at Home and Abroad

Reflecting on 2019 from the viewpoint of our changed reality, the importance of IOCC’s mission becomes that much clearer. Whether the challenge is a global health emergency like COVID-19 or a longstanding hardship, the work we do together builds resilience.

Resilience says a lot about IOCC’s approach.

Resilience encompasses two things: getting through the immediate crisis, and moving into the future equipped for lasting change. Though intertwined, emergency relief meets acute, short term needs like food, water, or shelter, while development work addresses the medium and longer term, like increasing education, business or farming capacity, or vocational skills.

So even as we’re planning an initial response and seeking the most impactful ways to serve, we’re also charting steps that will support our communities over time and give them the tools to thrive.

None of this is possible without you. Thank you for your partnership.

In Christ,

Constantine Triantafilou, Executive Director & CEO
Mark Stavropoulos, Chairman of the Board

What We Do | Where We Work

IOCC’s response often begins by working with the Orthodox Church and frequently addresses a crisis, natural or man-made, meeting immediate needs. Once a disaster subsides, a new set of needs emerges, calling for different kinds of intervention.
Below are just a few ways IOCC serves across the globe.

Bridging the Gap: Meeting Immediate Needs

What does emergency aid look like? Emotional and spiritual care after US disasters; helping a Church in the Bahamas feed those displaced by Hurricane Dorian; or the opportunity to earn income, even short term. An IOCC project in Lebanon hired over 300 people—including Lebanese residents like Antonios, 30, and Syrian refugees like Zayd, 25—to help steward local natural resources (left). Together, the men cleared brush from trails and roadsides and planted trees. For Antonios and Zayd, the income eased difficult situations, offering a bit of hope.

Looking Forward: Investing for Tomorrow

How do we build resilience that lasts? In Georgia, by training farmers so they can sell more at market and feed their families. In Uganda, by building a science lab at a rural Church-run school so generations of children can learn. In Greece, helping microenterprises thrive: Stavroula and Lemonia (left) are reviving their parents’ business amid economic crisis. With specialized machines and business mentoring with an experienced executive, they’re scaling up production of their brand of baby clothing, and expanding sales beyond Greece.

Board of Directors

Mark D. Stavropoulos, Chair
Thomas M. Suehs, Vice Chair
John V. Sobchak, Treasurer
Gayle F. Malone, Secretary
HE Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, Liaison to IOCC from the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America
Jasmina Boulanger*
Frank Cerra*
Elaine Cladis
George Djurasovic
Charles J. Hinkaty
V. Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky
Anne Glynn-Mackoul
Laura Nixon
Steve Radakovich
Jonathan Russin
Michael J. Tsakalos
V. Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou
Deacon Paul Zaharas
Dimitri Zgourides

Honorary Board Members

Charles R. Ajalat
George M. Marcus
John G. Rangos, Sr.
✝ Andrew A. Athens
✝ George J. Farha, MD

Executive Staff

Constantine M. Triantafilou Executive Director & CEO
Tamara D. Segall, CPA Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
Stacey MasonDirector of Operations
Katrina K. Straker Director of Development and Communications

*Term began October 2019