NEW CENTER Development
FOCUS San Diego
Mission
As an expression of Christ’s love, FOCUS exists to serve the poor by bringing together Orthodox Christian churches and community partners to provide Food, Occupation, Clothing, Understanding, and Shelter and other assistance to address the needs of local communities.
Vision
We envision a world where everyone experiences and shares the transformative love of Christ.
FOCUS At a Glance:
FOCUS currently operates 13 Centers across the country: everything from homeless shelters and feeding programs to support for expectant mothers and families.
On January 25th, about ninety (90) people from six (6) parishes gathered at St. John of Damascus Orthodox Church in Poway, CA to attend a Kickoff Meeting officially launching the Exploratory Committee process as we develop a new FOCUS Center in the San Diego area.
The Exploratory Committee, formed from Kickoff Meeting attendees and other local volunteers, meets twice
per month via Zoom and provides guidance, strategic input, and early support in developing a new FOCUS Center.
Membership may expand at any time, but ideally includes at least two dozen volunteers from local Pan-Orthodox parishes who work with FOCUS to address the three key questions in establishing a Center.
1.What are we doing?
2.Where are we doing it?
3.How are we going to pay for it?
Anyone who is interested in joining the Exploratory Committee can contact Steven Christoforou.
FOCUS San Diego is working to establish a dedicated Center that will serve as a place of hospitality, dignity, and care for neighbors in need. This Center will provide nourishing meals and access to food pantry support, while also offering a safe and welcoming environment where individuals and families can experience genuine community and belonging. With a permanent ministry space, FOCUS San Diego will be able to consistently offer a wide range of programs and services—creating a home where neighbors are known by name, supported with compassion, and invited into a loving and supportive community.
Program & Location
San Diego County faces a significant and ongoing challenge as nearly 400,000 people experience food insecurity, including more than 100,000 children, with over 12% of the county’s population considered food insecure as of 2023. This reality is closely tied to poverty, as roughly 11% of residents in San Diego County live at or below the federal poverty rate, placing families at greater risk of hunger and instability. Food insecurity is not only a matter of access to food—it is associated with serious long-term health consequences, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays in children, asthma, weakened immune function, and increased hospitalizations. At the same time, homelessness remains a pressing concern: the 2025 Point-in-Time Count identified at least 9,905 people experiencing homelessness across the county, including 5,714 unsheltered individuals and 4,191 people in shelters or transitional housing. While homelessness in the city of San Diego declined by 13.5% from 2024 to 2025, the need remains urgent, especially as 81% of those counted reported that they first became homeless within San Diego County itself—underscoring the critical need for sustained, local solutions rooted in care, stability, and community.
How You Can Help
The Orthodox Vision Foundation granted FOCUS North America a $45,000 matching grant to help spur the development of FOCUS Bridgeport. This grant was based upon the budgets of our existing Centers where part-time Center Directors oversee a rhythm of service, based in a local parish, with annual budgets of roughly $90,000 a year.
The Orthodox Vision Foundation has stipulated that, to receive this $45,000 grant, we must:
- raise $45,000 by the end of August 2026;
- hire a Center Director in the fall; and
- commence initial Center operations in the fall.
Donations by check can be mailed to:
FOCUS North America
PO Box 645039
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-5039
Please include FOCUS San Diego in the memo line.
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE
Donate Stock
We’re able to accept donations in the form of stock, government (including municipal) debt and corporate debt through the Depository Trust Company (DTC).
Corporate Matching Gifts
Many companies have charitable matching programs, in which they will match their employees’ charitable contributions. Contact your Human Resources department to find out if your employer will match your gift to FOCUS.
Planned Giving
Learn more about our Legacy Society, including how we handle bequests, beneficiary designations, and donor recognition.
CFC
If you are an employee of the federal government, you can support FOCUS through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) by indicating our code on your pledge form: 19541.
Donor Advised Funds
Donor advised funds allow you to combine favorable tax benefits with flexibility in giving. If you have a DAF established, you can recommend a gift to FOCUS using the “DAF Direct” app on our website.
Become a Supporting Parish
Your youth group, women’s or men’s group, or the entire parish can be a vial part of continuing the work of FOCUS North America
For more information on the different ways you can help make FOCUS ministries possible please e-mail our Director of Development, Sarah Werner, at JavaScript required to view address
