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Media contact: Steven Christoforou, Executive Director, schristoforou@focusna.org

October 1, 2026 – FOCUS North America announced the designation of four new FOCUS Centers in the following cities: Portland, OR; San Diego, CA; the Washington, D.C. metro area; and Grand Rapids, MI. In each city, FOCUS staff led Orthodox clergy and lay volunteers through a process that laid the groundwork for the new Centers, each of which will bring local parishes together to serve neighbors experiencing poverty.

The four cities join a growing national network of 13 FOCUS Centers which offer a variety of services to the community: from homeless shelters and daily meal programs to support for expectant mothers and families. This growth brings the total number of Centers to 17 and more than triples FOCUS’s presence across the country since 2023, when only 5 FOCUS Centers were operational.

“Every one of these FOCUS Centers started with Orthodox Christians asking how they could serve their neighbors together,” said Steven Christoforou, Executive Director of FOCUS North America. “Parishes that rarely worked side by side have been meeting, praying, and planning for months. When they sit down to share a meal with someone who is hungry or lonely, people see what the Church is for. That is Christ’s love made visible. And it’s what the Church needs, especially in this moment of increased Orthodox visibility and interest.”

“Our vision for FOCUS has always been bigger than the number of Centers we operate,” said Brian Bullard, Board Chair of FOCUS North America. “We want to see Orthodox Christians across the country living out our faith through action—serving together and becoming a meaningful, lasting presence in their communities. Growing from five Centers to 17 is an important milestone and brings us closer to our goal of 100 Centers in 100 Cities. Ultimately, that growth is about building strong ministries that bring people together, serve our neighbors well, and put our faith into practice every day.”

Portland

FOCUS Portland will begin its ministry in partnership with St. André Bessette Catholic Parish, which already distributes bag lunches every morning, hosts a Friday dinner each week, and offers afternoon activities for its guests. Plans call for FOCUS to host a Friday community dinner each month and a Wednesday afternoon gathering with coffee, snacks, desserts, and opportunities for fellowship. Until a Center Director is in place, a volunteer from the local Exploratory Committee is coordinating Orthodox volunteers. Learn more at focusna.org/portland.

San Diego

FOCUS San Diego will have a permanent home on land given to FOCUS, where Father Joe’s Villages will soon begin building a 14-story building scheduled for completion in early 2029. FOCUS will occupy about half of the ground floor in a space that will include a full commercial kitchen, a large dining hall, and offices. The facility will provide FOCUS with the opportunity to serve as many as three meals daily. Until the building opens, there are four Orthodox parishes across San Diego that provide and serve community meals every Wednesday at the 16th & Island location where the building will be constructed. The Exploratory Committee has also suggested a once a month meal, bringing the pan-orthodox together to prepare and serve a sitdown meal at St. Gregory of Nyssa in East County. This will allow the FOCUS San Diego staff and team to grow over the next few years and be in a position to make the most of the new facility. Learn more at focusna.org/sandiego.

Washington, D.C.

FOCUS in the D.C. metro area (which includes Maryland and Virginia, and is known as the “DMV”) is planning a café-style morning ministry offering coffee, baked goods, and a hot breakfast. The ministry will provide a place where neighbors get to know one another, feel less alone, and get connected with support services. The Exploratory Committee is also looking at grab-and-go lunch options so guests have something to carry them through the day, and is planning to host ministry operations at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in NW Washington, DC. FOCUS DMV will also begin coordinating a weekly Saturday ministry that parishes currently operate on a rotation, in an effort to further unite Orthodox Christians in service. Learn more at focusna.org/dmv.

Grand Rapids

In Grand Rapids, FOCUS has been working to stabilize and ultimately acquire Shepherds of Independence, a permanent supportive housing ministry founded in 2001 by James Miller. On 2.7 acres in Northwest Grand Rapids, Shepherds houses up to 50 men and women who have been unhoused, many of them living with physical or mental health challenges. After Miller’s death in 2024, the Shepherds Board turned to the Orthodox churches of Grand Rapids for help, just as the FOCUS Center Exploratory Committee process was beginning. Given the magnitude of this acquisition, FOCUS undertook a transitional process to build on the work of the Exploratory Committee and continue bringing together local faithful. Parishes are now rallying so that residents can continue having a stable, affordable place to live, along with case management, life skills support, and connections to medical care and community resources. Learn more at focusna.org/grandrapids.

Hiring and how to help

FOCUS is hiring Center Directors for Portland, San Diego and Washington, D.C. Openings are posted at focusna.org/careers and on OrthodoxJobs.com. Orthodox Christians and parishes who want to volunteer, give, or bring a FOCUS Center to their own city can visit focusna.org/growth.

About FOCUS North America

FOCUS North America (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve) unites Orthodox Christians to reveal Christ’s love through service that restores dignity, transforms lives, and builds community. Through a national network of local Centers, FOCUS provides meals, shelter, clothing, housing and personal support to neighbors in need. FOCUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. FOCUS is an affiliate ministry of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.  Learn more at focusna.org.

About FOCUS Centers 

A FOCUS Center is a locally staffed ministry site, typically located in or near underserved neighborhoods, where volunteers and participants come together for services such as shared meals, clothing distribution, employment support, and other resource-based care for vulnerable populations. Unlike a traditional parish program, a FOCUS Center draws participation from multiple Orthodox congregations and from the broader community, including individuals with no prior church connection. Through these ministries, participants engage in practices reflecting the Church’s commitment to the poor and marginalized in a setting accessible beyond the walls of any single congregation.

New FOCUS Centers are established through a structured, collaborative process that begins annually in January. Parishes from multiple Orthodox jurisdictions work together, reflecting FOCUS’ distinctive role in bridging divisions within American Orthodoxy. Development begins with engaging clergy and lay leaders to assess community needs, followed by a city-wide gathering that forms an Exploratory Committee representing as many parishes in the area as possible. This Committee, guided through a process designed to form “one mind in Christ” (Philippians 1:27) helps define the ministry, identify its location, and establish sustainable funding. With the guidance of FOCUS staff and the catalyzing support of matching funds from generous donors, FOCUS ultimately hires a Center Director who can the