Every year our charitable partner FOCUS North America serves the underserved with remarkable programs nationwide. They bring faith-based congregations and community partners together in hands-on opportunities to help transform lives through the power of unconditional love and service. Their programs help the hungry, thirsty, estranged, naked, sick and imprisoned by “providing Food, Occupation, Clothing, Understanding, and Shelter.” In partnership with Renovation Angel, this holiday season FOCUS will present their second year of the St. Nicholas Sacks program in San Francisco and New York City.
FOCUS North America
FOCUS North America’s services are provided without discrimination of any kind and we do not require any faith commitment from anyone we help. Their work spans from center-based grassroots community outreach, all the way to national-level basic needs programs that serve a variety of communities in need. Through partnering with Renovation Angel, FOCUS’ national programs have grown to reach thousands of families in need in cities across the country including New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Bridgeport, and Chicago.
National programs at FOCUS are designed to engage volunteers with opportunities to serve that meet a local need, and strive to go beyond typical “volunteer events.” This is accomplished through intentionally introducing pan-Orthodox communities with local agencies, creating service relationships that can be continued beyond the immediate project at hand.
Earlier this summer, FOCUS worked in 60 communities across the country to deliver 3,500 backpacks filled with supplies to children in need. Highly mobile children, who move from place to place due to housing insecurity and homelessness, rarely have access to the items they need to succeed in school. FOCUS fills the gap by filling backpacks for the school year, and delivering them directly to children in need! Often volunteers remain connected with the schools for future needs throughout the year.
In addition to back to school supplies for children, simple items such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, deodorant, or basic clothing like socks and underwear can transform the way our neighbors experiencing homelessness feel about themselves.
St. Nicholas Sacks
FOCUS’ St. Nicholas Sacks program regularly works with communities around Christmas to provide assistance to a growing number of children and families who otherwise would go without basic human necessities. This year will be the second year St. Nicholas Sacks will engage with local communities in New York City and San Francisco, and FOCUS is looking forward to engaging new communities including coastal Virginia and Detroit as the Holiday Season approaches.
In addition to toys and games, the St.Nicholas Sacks program focuses on providing home-insecure families with hygiene kits. Hygiene products are a constant need at this time of year, and they are an often overlooked item of expense, because of the holidays. For further information about the individual events in NYC and San Francisco please reach out to John Moxen – FOCUS National Programs Manager at (570) 780-8531 or via email at jmoxen@focusna.org.
