FOCUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, FEIN: 26-4427803
At FOCUS North America, our name is both a mission and a message. The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve, as the domestic service arm of the Church, brings together Orthodox faithful across the country to live out Christ’s call to serve others. But FOCUS is more than just our name—it’s also a reflection of what we do. Each letter represents the core services we provide: Food, Occupation, Clothing, Understanding, and Shelter.
This dual meaning is intentional. It speaks to the clarity of our purpose and the compassion that drives our work. Whether it’s providing a warm meal, job training, essential clothing, compassionate support, or safe shelter, we remain focused—always—on restoring dignity, offering hope, and building community through service grounded in our Orthodox faith.
The ministry of FOCUS is sacramental: when we share a meal with someone, we are not simply filling their belly, we are making the Kingdom of Heaven manifest in tangible ways.
FOCUS North America fulfills its mission by serving communities through a growing network of FOCUS Centers and targeted National Programs. Together, these efforts provide meaningful opportunities for Orthodox Christians to engage in service and offer critical resources to individuals and families facing the complex, often overwhelming realities of poverty.
At the heart of our outreach are FOCUS Centers—dedicated, community-based hubs where Orthodox faithful come together to serve their neighbors. Each Center is uniquely shaped by the needs of its local community and the call of the local Church to serve in a particular, intentional way. Some focus on food distribution or shelter, while others support mothers and children, offer employment assistance, or provide hygiene and healthcare resources. Though each Center is distinct, all are united by one purpose: to bring healing and hope to those struggling with material and spiritual need.
With about 40 million people living below the poverty line in North America, we recognize that poverty is not one-dimensional. It is the absence of basic necessities like food, clean water, shelter, and clothing, as well as the lack of access to education, healthcare, employment, and dignity. As Orthodox Christians, we also understand poverty as a spiritual disconnection from Christ and one another.
That’s why FOCUS programs are designed to serve the whole person—offering more than relief, but relationship; more than aid, but accompaniment. Rooted in the Orthodox tradition of compassionate, incarnational service, we strive not only to meet material needs, but to restore identity, connection, and the image of God in every person we serve. We strive to make the Kingdom of Heaven manifest in tangible ways for all.
At FOCUS North America, we believe everyone has something meaningful to offer—and that service, when rooted in Christ, transforms both those who give and those who receive. Whether through prayer, financial support, hands-on service, or deeper community engagement, your involvement helps restore connection and bring dignity to those in need.
Support FOCUS by remembering our work—and those we serve—in your prayers.
Become a monthly donor and support FOCUS financially. With a baseline of 92% of every dollar going directly to programming in our local Centers, your generosity directly fuels our ability to serve others. You can choose to give to your local FOCUS Center or support our National Office as we work across the country as we continue to establish new Centers in new cities, uniting Orthodox Christians in service. Every gift helps us build stronger, more connected communities.
Our volunteers are the heart of our service. They do more than offer time—they share the transformative love of Christ with those facing homelessness, hunger, mental illness, domestic violence, addiction, and incarceration. We believe that the root of all poverty is disconnection, and so we strive for connection to be at the forefront of everything we do. Christ calls us all to serve, and at FOCUS we seek to provide opportunities for Orthodox Christians to not only reach out to their neighbors experiencing poverty through meaningful service, but understand service through the context of a living faith.
✨ Looking for opportunities to serve?
Explore our list of FOCUS Centers to find one near you!
No FOCUS Center in your city? Check out our Local Initiatives to serve anywhere!
There are so many ways to deepen your connection with FOCUS:
– Engage youth and young adults through our YES Program
– Launch an initiative at your parish with one of our National Programs
– Help start a new FOCUS Center in your city
Service is not about projects—it’s about people. It’s a movement of connection, compassion, and Christ-centered love that makes the Kingdom of Heaven manifest. However you choose to get involved, we welcome you to join us in this sacred, sacramental work.
FOCUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, FEIN: 26-4427803
