What is Philoptochos?

The Ladies Philoptochos Society is the official philanthropic organization of the Church. The word “philoptochos” comes from the Greek words philos, which means friend, and ptochos, which means poor/needy.  This organization functions on three levels:

1. The Philoptochos Chapter of our Parish
2. The Diocesan Board of the Diocese
3. The National Board

Locally our Chapter actively participates in various projects that include:

1. Presenting scholarships to deserving students
2. Presenting bonds to our high school graduates
3. Supporting the Orthodox College Campus Report
4. Giving Easter baskets and Christmas gifts to our young children
5. Annual contributions to our Church
6. Donating money to our local community projects such as:  

• Berkshire Carousel Project
• War Memorial Restoration Fund
• Alzheimer’s Fund
• Boys and Girls Club
• Special Olympics
• BCAC
• Red Cross, and many more

Nationally our Chapter donates money to the following organizations:

• The Saint Basil’s Academy (collected at the cutting of the Vasilopita )
• The Cardiac Fund
• The Hellenic College (Holy Cross)
• The Hellenic College (Scholarship Program)
• The Cancer Fund
• Ecumenical Patriarchate (benefiting its programs and charities)
• UNICEF (benefiting the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund
• In 1989, the National Philoptochos Society established the Children’s Medical Fund to provide medical care for Greek and Greek-American children with life-threatening illness.
• Greek Autism Project (Asheville, NC)

For our Diocese, the Philoptochos helps support the Philoxenia House, the main project of the Diocese. This home houses patients and their families who have traveled from other parts of the United States and Greece to the Boston area in order to receive medical care.