Honor a Loved One this Nativity with A Special Gift
With FOCUS North America’s Online Christmas Cards you can celebrate those special to you with a gift that has the power to connect with neighbors who would otherwise be hungry, hurting and alone this holiday season.
When you give this Nativity season using the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve Christmas Gift Catalog, you are sharing compassion, love, and dignity with someone in need.
Choose a gift from one of our special ministry areas and receive a free greeting card to share the impact of your gift with your honoree.
Here's how it works:
- Learn about our ministry areas below, where your gifts in action make a difference every day.
- Choose a meaningful gift in honor of someone you love.
- Use our secure webform to place your order.
- Access the online greeting card portal with the password we email you, and choose a free greeting card to share with your honoree (Print at home and E-card versions available! View Samples.)
- Rest assured communities in need benefit from the power of the gift you choose.
The needs of our neighbors often go unseen. It is impossible to look at someone and know from sight alone when they last ate a meal. To serve someone in need, we must first connect with the human experiencing that need. Therefore, one of the most important things the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve does is offer neighbors a seat at our table, regardless of their outward facing needs.
- $150 would stock a dry goods shelf in a neighborhood food pantry
- $150 is about the cost of delivery of a pallet of basic needs items ($1,000+ value)
- $25 would provide a food box of staples for a homebound senior
Hope in Hard Times: Teresa’s Story
Teresa and her four children have overcome many struggles together as a family. With extremely limited resources available to her, Teresa’s children understood at a young age the reality of skipping a meal to keep a roof over their heads. When we first met Teresa, she had lost her job during the pandemic and was struggling hard to maintain a hopeful attitude. Today, she has a part-time job, and her two oldest children work in restaurants and are pursuing their education. The food boxes FOCUS Southern California distributes removes the barrier to healthy food for Teresa’s family, and supports them as they work toward a stable future.
A word of encouragement can spark confidence in someone who is struggling to provide for themselves and their families. The pandemic has caused many people to either lose their jobs or have their hours significantly reduced. Your gifts provide for basic needs like food and clothing, but they also help to inspire action that leads to meaningful change – like finding stable employment. From providing a weekly bus pass to resume help or job training, your gifts share respect that inspires confidence and stability to job-seekers.
- $500 is about the cost of wages for one Jobs Program recipient for one month
- $75 is the value of a new outfit for a job interview
“I found a family instead…”
“When I came to St Herman House I thought I was just moving to a new rooming place. But to my surprise, I actually found a family instead. Everyone here treats the other like a family member and every one feels respected and treated like a human.”
-Izzy, Former Transitional House Resident at St. Herman House – FOCUS Cleveland
Many people have a roof over their heads, but have never experienced the feeling of “home.” With every gift you give, you share the feeling of home with someone through our hospitality and shelter ministries. Whether we are providing emergency shelter, a hot meal, or simply sharing diapers with a young mother – we strive to share the comfort and safety of “home” with everyone we encounter.
- $300 would provide transitional housing for one individual for one month
- $75 is the value of a warm winter coat
- $25 would cover the cost of a meal for a family of five
“Love can change the world.”
“YES shows the uniqueness of how to love. Love is not black and white. Love will move mountains and through your actions, you can inspire people to find their own way and find their own calling that is unique to them.YES proves that love can change the world.”
– Wadeed, YES Leader
Your gifts allow people to step away from their own lives and experience the reality of another. Through our work, people of all ages can come to understand that service is the fruit of living out our faith. Share the love of Christ with others by making a gift that supports our youth and engagement ministries.
- $25 is the value of school supplies for one child for the year
- $25 is the cost of registration for a teen to attend a virtual YES trip
- $150 can help organize a neighborhood outreach event
“Need alone is a poor man’s worthiness.”
– St. John Chrysostom
FOCUS unites communities of givers across the country, and each community is responding to unique needs. However, at the root of every need is our fundamental need for connection and community. Your gifts have the power to inspire these connections that are rooted in Christ’s love.
Our Promise:
Focus North America promises to honor your generosity by using your donation in the most effective way possible. By selecting a gift through this catalog, you are making a donation to FOCUS North America. We are dedicated to using your donation to further the good work of FOCUS Communities across the country. Each gift in this catalog is representative of resources, services or support for programs provided across FOCUS North America’s national movement. These services and programs may change due to environmental, programmatic, and economic considerations. Under these circumstances, FOCUS reserves the right to reallocate gifts as necessary. Your donation will be used to provide assistance where it is needed most within the ministry area you choose or to address substantially similar needs.
