FOCA delivers St. Nicholas Day gifts to seminaries
Under the leadership of Vice President Allison Steffaro, the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA) has been fulfilling the Saint Nicholas “wish lists” of married students at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA and Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY since 2000. The much anticipated yearly tradition In the spirit of Saint Nicholas finds the FOCA matching chapters and parishes from all over the country with seminary families to make their wishes come true during the Nativity season. Items from the families’ wish lists ranged from gift cards to local grocery stores, gas stations and other outlets; needed clothing or household goods; school supplies for the seminarians; and of course, gifts for the children.
This project is just one of the ways in which the FOCA supports the seminaries of the Orthodox Church in America. In addition to the Saint Nicholas Wish List Program, the FOCA’s Adopt-a-Seminarian Program has provided financial assistance to struggling married students on a monthly basis since 2002. In addition to educational scholarships available to seminary students—including the FOCA’s own Mischa Michaelson National Scholarship—these projects are designed to relieve some of the financial burden placed on students while in seminary. In this way, the FOCA sets out to recognize the sacrifice of those who are answering a call to become the future spiritual leaders of our Orthodox Church.