We dedicate this year's race to Irene Theodore, our beloved friend and fellow parishioner who died suddenly February 21, 2022 at the age of 89. Irene actively participated in the Akron Marathon for Team IOCC as part of a relay team until last year and raised countless funds for her beloved IOCC. She and her husband Ted founded the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and continued to raise funds for IOCC throughout her life.  

We continue Irene's legacy raising funds for IOCC. The dollars that I raise will help provide life-saving and life-sustaining services--without discrimination--to some of the world's most vulnerable populations in over 60 countries, including the United States, Syria, Lebanon, and Ukraine. Among its other programming, IOCC has done the following:

** In western Ukraine, regular distributions of foods, hygiene items, and more to 5,000 people in shelters.

** Monthly groceries and essential supplies for 3,200 families in Romania who are hosting Ukrainian refugees.

** IOCC provided psychosocial support to more than 17,375 people in Syria to enhance their resilience amid crisis.

** In Lebanon, more than 153,000 people received aid in the year after the Beirut explosion—including emergency food, health support, and repairs to homes and businesses.

** In the US, IOCC volunteers put in more than 1,000 hours toward long-term recovery efforts following natural disasters.

Please help me reach my fundraising goal by making a donation--large or small--to help IOCC provide the tools needed to help rebuild communities, one family at a time. Every single gift makes a difference!