October 2016 News at Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity
We have some exciting news that would like to share with you all, volunteers, donors and friends of our charity:
2016 has brought many smiles, hope and relief in the hearts of many of our beneficiaries as well as our wonderful team of volunteers here in the US and abroad in Romania, that have honored us with their generous time and talents in our collective mission for helping those most in need.
We’d like to say “THANK YOU” to all who have supported us tirelessly to fund-raise for in-kind and financial donations that have touched the lives of hundreds of families and their children in need back in Romania. We’re both grateful and proud to take a moment to share their stories and these updates.
Varlaam School Project, City of Iasi, Romania
Looking forward at the new 2016-2017 school year, Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity received a generous donation of $3,000 from Ancient Christian Foundation from Deville Virginia making it possible to offer 4 scholarship to 4 students that are currently studying at Varlaam School Mitropolitul in Iasi. This school stands out from other public schools, as it endorses our fundamental Orthodox Christian values. To honor their commitment and support, SPOC gladly matched their donation with another $4,000 from our own fundraising events, enabling us to sponsor four scholarships totaling $7,000. Despite their academic success, the students still endure serious financial struggles and your continued support is welcomed. To learn more about this school and our project please click here.
The Saint Nicholas Shoes Project, multiple locations across Romania
More than 2,700 lbs of donated or new clothing and shoes have been collected this year and shipped to multiple the underserved area of Romania, to towns like Rasca, Iasi, Cluj and Maramures. The shipment costs totally $ 2,500 were covered by our generous sponsors or hard working volunteers and coordinators. THANK YOU to our local partners that helped in distributing these gifts through-out the country in particular: Fr. Andrei at Rasca, the seminary students from Colegiul Sfantul Nicolae at Iasi, the volunteers of Saint Onufrie at Cluj and the Myrrhbearers Women association in Maramures. All of this was made possible thanks to our partner shipping carrier Atlantic Express. To learn more about this project please click here.
New Home, Grateful Family, Finisel, Cluj County, Romania
With God’s helps, the construction of a much needed house for a single mother of 10 children in one of the most marginalized areas of Cluj county has been finalized with the help of our local partners and volunteers from Saint Onufrie Orphanage, Floresti in Romania. Thanks to the very generous donation of $10,000 from one of our valued donors, the orphanage was able the work on this house and was completed on time. Funds have been carefully used as well to cover the costs of food for the family for the last two years.
We remain grateful and indebted to everyone who has supported us so far this year and continues to befriend and offer their generosity and love to these projects. Thank you very much to our donors, to our volunteers and to all of you that endorse us in any way you can! May God multiply all that generosity ten-folded!
Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity is a faith based non-profit organization that provides developmental and spiritual services through a grass roots approach focusing primarily on orphaned and disabled children in Romania’s most under served communities, providing support not just on a one-time basis but through long-term relationships. Our organization operates 100% on volunteer-based work, ensuring that the entire amount of your donations is allocated to our programs that make a difference in the lives of those individuals most in need of help.
With the generous support and donations of our sponsors we are able to be involved in a few humanitarian projects in Romania, a complete list of our supported project can be found here. If you will like to help us please donate to our cause.
Saint Paraskeva was born at the beginning of the 11th century A.D. into a wealthy, noble, and pious Christian family in the town of Epivat (now in Turkey) on the shores of the Marmara Sea. At the age of ten, while attending the liturgy in the “Church of the Holy Theotokos”, she heard the words, “Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.” The words of the Lord had a profound effect on the young girl, and they became the subject of her meditations.