Philoptochos Society

2023–2025 Executive Board

Angela Hastings, President	Clara Gkolias, Corresponding Secretary
Nancy Lane, 1st Vice President	Katrina McCann, Treasurer
De-Paula Balich, 2nd Vice President	Sandra Gulezian, Assistant Treasurer
Georgia Genna, Recording Secretary	Ellen Dobi, Advisor

Board Members

Corrine Dubay, Connie Gkolias, Freda Gkolias, Patricia Mahoney, Olivia Sintros, Soula Spaziani

Our Mission

The Ladies Philoptochos Society is the duly accredited philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The mission of the society is as follows:

To aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters; to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church through fund raising efforts
To promote the charitable, benevolent, and philanthropic purposes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, through instructional programs, presentations, lectures, seminars and other educational resources
To preserve and perpetuate Orthodox Christian concepts and the Orthodox Christian Family, and through them, to promote the Greek Orthodox faith and traditions, in accordance with its doctrines, canons, discipline, divine worship, usages and customs
To promote participation in the activities of the Greek Orthodox community, with the cooperation of the Parish Priest and the Parish Council
The charitable work of the Society shall be performed with discretion, courtesy and kindness

Philoptochos: Celebrating 60 Years of Love and Philanthropy

In 2014, our Ladies Philoptochos Society held its Diamond Jubilee Tea, celebrating 60 years of love and philanthropy. Part 1 of this video was created in 2001 and chronicles the first 48 benefit teas, beginning with the inaugural event in 1953. Part 2 (which begins around minute 18:00), highlights the more recent celebrations, dating from 2000-2013. You are sure to see many familiar faces (and some pretty impressive hairdos!)

Special thanks to Olivia Sintros, Patricia Mahoney, and Dn. John Vaporis for their work in creating this historical treasure.

Chapter Initiatives

Adopt-A-Family: Each holiday season, the Transfiguration Philoptochos partners with Community Teamwork, Inc. to provide Christmas gifts for less fortunate families in the Lowell area. Wishlists will be made available in November, and our entire community is encouraged to participate. All items should be new, wrapped, and clearly labled with the appropriate family code number. Monetary donations are also gratefully accepted.

Literacy Program: Parishioners and friends of the Transfiguration are once again being asked to donate new or gently used children’s books for children in the Lowell School System, grades K-4. Collection is ongoing. Book collection bins are located in the upper and lower lobby of the church. The books and bags will be distributed to the children in the spring.

Nursing Home/Shut In Visitations: Our "Visiting Angels" continue to visit our nursing home and shut in parishioners. If you know of anyone who could use a visit or would like to volunteer, please contact Christine Faneros or the church office.

House of Hope: For many years, Philoptochos has provided volunteers to serve dinner to the moms and children on the four Thursday of the month. If you, your family, and/or friends are interested in volunteering, please contact Angela Hastings, President, for available dates and details.

Metropolis Commitments

Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards (FOS)

The Metropolis of Boston, under the Archpastoral mantle and creative leadership of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, is personal, meaningful and essential to each of us. Its ministries embrace every aspect of our individual and parish lives.

In order to financially sustain its outreach to the faithful of all ages, the Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards (FOS) was established many years ago to expand the Metropolis programs, including Youth Ministry, Hospital Ministry, Philanthropy, Philoxenia House, Radio Ministry, Religious Education, Greek Education and Culture, Marriage Enrichment, Campus Ministry, Spiritual Outreach, Scholarships, and programs offered by the Saint Methodios Faith and Heritage Center.

At the Metropolis Philoptochos Biennial Conference held in June 2007 in Weston, Massachusetts, the Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos Chapters overwhelmingly adopted the resolution to support the Metropolis FOS program with an annual discretionary contribution, beginning in February 2008.

Philoxenia House

The Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos has designated May as Philoxenia month to support the centerpiece of the Metropolis of Boston Ministries.

The Philoxenia House became a reality in 1986 when our spiritual leader, Metropolitan Methodios, secured the donation of a four-bedroom home located just minutes from Boston's medical community on the grounds of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA.The ministry was an immediate success, with generous volunteers donating friendship, time and money. Since 1986, the residence has been expanded three times and today consists of 11 bedrooms, two large living rooms, a large dining room, a large kitchen, a pantry and seven and one-half bathrooms.

Guests seeking medical care in Boston come to the Philoxenia House from countries around the world, including Greece, Cyprus, South Africa, Germany, Brazil, Egypt, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and the United States.

Financially, this ministry is supported by generous donations from all of the Metropolis' Philoptochos chapters, along with many other organizations and individuals of the Metropolis.

Saint Methodios Faith & Heritage Center

His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios' vision to find a site suitable for year-round programs for children and adults that would more effectively minister to the spiritual needs of the people was realized in 1998 with the purchase of the 200-acre property in Contoocook, NH, which is now the permanent home of the Saint Methodios Faith and Heritage Center. In 1999, the Metropolis faithful and especially the Philoptochos chapters responded to Metropolitan Methodios' vision to initiate the upgrading of the facilities and to construct a beautiful chapel.

The Center is home to the Metropolis Summer and Winter Camp Program which attracts more than 1,000 young people from throughout New England and America and is open year-round for conferences and retreats for priests, parish council members, Philoptochos women, youth, senior citizens and families as well as numerous organizations.

The month of November is set aside annually for Philoptochos chapters to offer a special commitment for the Center. Throughout the year, Philoptochos chapters generously provide camperships and respond to the needs of this ministry in numerous other ways.

This ministry serves not only our children, but also other Metropolis-related events, including our Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos Retreat held in the spring. This Fund drive is separate from scholarships that go directly to the Metropolis of Boston Camp program.