Philoptochos – from the Greek for “friend of the poor”
Since 1932, the Philoptochos Society of Saint Sophia has served as the philanthropic arm of the Cathedral. As a local chapter of the nationwide Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc., we are part of one of the largest Christian women’s philanthropic organizations in the United States. (For more background, see History.)
The Philoptochos Society of Saint Sophia has more than 100 members and a Board of Directors who are elected for two-year terms. The current Board was elected in May 2025:
Board of Directors
Executive Board
Margo Anderson: President
Lia Fidas: Vice President
Pamela Sotiriadis: Treasurer
Mary Dimos: Assistant Treasurer
Florence Carr: Recording Secretary
Stracie Maniatis: Corresponding Secretary
The Very Reverend Steven P. Zorzos, DMin.: Spiritual Advisor
Patricia A. Gogos: National Board Liaison
Helen Fliakas: Advisor
Joanne Kenny: Advisor
General Board Members
Teddi Alepohoritis
Helen Farmer
Mary Kirshbaum
Angela Kolaras
Alexandra Mallus
Doreen Moses
Matina Sawicki
Carole Verner
Our Mission
The mission of the Philoptochos Society can be summarized as follows:
- To help those in need;
- To promote the purposes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America;
- To preserve Greek Orthodox Faith and traditions;
- To promote participation in the Greek Orthodox community; and,
- To do it all with discretion, courtesy and kindness.
For the full text of the mission statement, see Mission Statement.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarship Opportunities for 2026
PHILOPTOCHOS SCHOLARSHIP
APOSTOLOS SCHOLARSHIP
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MAKE A STEWARDSHIP PAYMENT HERE
CHECK OUT OUR 60’s You tube and Pictures
YOU TUBE LINK
FACEBOOK PICTURES
Our Work
The work of Philoptochos addresses three main objectives:
Philanthropy »
Direct and indirect support for charitable organizations and individuals in need.
Fellowship »
Creating opportunities for greater interaction among members of the parish.
Faith in Action »
Putting our Orthodox values into practice through hands-on actions
Calendar of Events – TBD
Wondering how you can help?
Click on What can I do? to see how much you can do at home, at the Cathedral, in your neighborhood, in Northwest DC, and beyond.
Joining Philoptochos
Membership in Philoptochos is open to all women of the Cathedral over the age of 18. To become a member, download a Membership Form and submit your completed form to philoptochosdc@gmail.com. The minimum annual stewardship level is $50 ($23 of your stewardship goes directly to National Philoptochos & Direct Archdiocese Philoptochos). Stewardship can be paid by clicking on the link in the Membership Form or by check made out to Philoptochos and sent to:
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Attn: Philoptochos
2815 36th Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
For more information regarding membership, please contact: Philoptochos Membership Chair at PhiloptochosDC@gmail.com.
Click here to view our Philoptochos Facebook Page
For more information please e-mail us at philoptochosdc@gmail.com.
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MEMBERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
Dear Philoptochos Members,
It is that time of year to renew your stewardship with Philoptochos for 2026. This year we have two ways we can accept payment, by credit card or by check. Below are the instructions for the method you choose.
There are a range of stewardship levels, listed below. Please note that $23 of your stewardship payment goes to National Philoptochos and Direct Archdiocesan District (DAD) Philoptochos.
Stewardship levels: $50 $75 $100 other
Membership Form
To Pay by Credit Card:
Click on the following Faith Direct link HERE
If you use this method of payment, please reply to this message if there are any changes to your contact information.
To Pay By Check:
Make your check payable to Philoptochos Society, send us any changes to your contact information and mail to:
Attn: Philoptochos
2815 36th Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
