ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION BOOK DONATION TO CHICAGO AREA SCHOOL CHILDREN

Maria A. Karamitsos – 20/3/13

Baltimore, Md. (IOCC) – International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) announced today its support for after school enrichment opportunities, mentoring and summer learning programs through a donation of more than 25,000 new books to benefit school children in the greater Chicago area. Bishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago and past president of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago facilitated the gift on behalf of Orthodox Christians. The books will be distributed through the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago (CRLMC) and coordinated by the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.

Joining the effort is Chicago Bulls forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who has supported similar educational initiatives throughout his twelve-year NBA career to benefit underprivileged children in both the US and his native Serbia. Radmanovic will join Orthodox Christian clergy as well as representatives of the CRLMC on March 22 to visit two of the sites that will receive books.

The books will be dedicated at ceremony on March 22, at St. Sava Academy in Chicago.

IOCC, the official humanitarian aid agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, began in 1992. Since its inception, the organization has received continuous support from a standing volunteer committee in the Chicago area that has raised millions of dollars to benefit IOCC’s humanitarian reach to people in more than 50 countries, including the US where the agency has responded to survivors of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy.

The books, valued at $1 million, will be used to support after school and summer educational programs at the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center as well in educational programs and outreach efforts by members of the CRLMC, an alliance of chief religious leaders of the Greater Chicago faith communities.

Source: