LEADERSHIP 100 APPROVES $2.5 MILLION IN NEW GRANTS

Mark Stavropoulos (left) with Fran Karivalis and Paulette Poulos

Key Biscayne, Florida- The Executive Committee of Leadership 100, meeting at its 15th Annual Conference, approved new grants for 2006 totaling some $2.5 million. The largest grant, $1.5 million, is part of a 10-year $10 million scholarship commitment for students studying for the priesthood at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. The second largest grant, $400,000 over two years, was awarded to Internet Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, for a major upgrade to a new open source content management system which will enable all parishes of the Greek Orthodox Church in America to develop their own web sites.

Mark Stravopoulos (left) with James Regas

In a unique move to further strengthen the National Church, the Executive Committee allotted $25,000 to each of the nine Metropolises of the Greek Orthodox Church for Metropolis Ministries Outreach In addition, $103,200 went to the Archdiocese Department of Outreach and Evangelism for Home Mission parishes; $100,000 for an Archdiocese Archives Digitization Preservation grant for 2006 with a challenge grant of $100,000 for each of three additional years; $65,000 for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) to further strengthen the Orthodox presence on college campuses; two grants to the Archdiocese Department of Religious Education, $49,500 over two years for an interactive CD on the feasts of the Church and $45,320 over three years to develop a Sunday School curriculum for 9th to 12th graders; and $37,700 for a National Altar Boy Retreat.

Mark Stavropoluos, Chairman of the Grant Committee, said he was pleased that Leadership 100 was able to fund a greater variety of programs that represented greater outreach for the Greek Orthodox Church in America