As an agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the US, IOCC operates first and foremost by working with the Church and its humanitarian and development structures around the world. IOCC’s success and growth have also been amplified through strong relationships with ecumenical partners and humanitarian agencies across faith traditions—all working together to bring God’s love to those who are struggling.

 

Ecumenical cooperation takes various forms. It may be a grant, startup funding, an in-kind donation, or pooling resources with IOCC on the ground. In other contexts, IOCC provides program funding while our partners implement. The goal of these partnerships is always the same—to make the most of collective resources and expertise to help as many people as possible.

 

Ecumenical partner support was critical to IOCC’s very first aid distribution in 1992, when Brother’s Brother Foundation provided emergency medical supplies following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In addition to close collaboration with the Orthodox Church and Church partners, ecumenical partners like this remain key.

 

For example, IOCC’s programs across the Middle East have grown because of strong relationships with ecumenical partners from all over Europe.

 

Another powerful partnership is IOCC’s work with Church World Service to provide school kits, hygiene kits, and cleanup buckets to people in need. This collaboration gives IOCC supporters a way to reach neighbors who need help near and far, and IOCC can ship tens of thousands of kits at once.

 

IOCC’s Ukraine response continues through partnerships with the Orthodox Church, the Church of the Brethren, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the Presbyterian Church (USA), and Week of Compassion. Together, we’re caring for internally displaced Ukrainians, plus supporting refugees and host families in neighboring countries.

 

The value of these partnerships goes beyond money and supplies. Each organization contributes expertise and experience—and that means together, we can better serve people in need.

 

IOCC’s approach has always been to maximize resources and relationships to responsibly and effectively help as many people as possible. Productive partnerships are key, with each organization contributing expertise and experience. Highlighted here are just a few examples from IOCC’s work through the decades. We are thankful to serve alongside committed partners with the same goal: serving Christ by serving others.