In the late 40s and 50s as immigrants from Greece were coming to St. Louis to either join with other family members who already arrived or to start a new life in a new city & America-being joined into a community was imperative. Especially for the women. Only with each other can they speak their native language, have their children play together and act as moral support as they became situated in their new country & home.
In our Greek Community, women had each other for fellowship and eventually, here at the Assumption, created an organization called “Efsevia”-meaning Kindness or good. In the eastern coast, an organization called Philoptochos had been established and was now seeking on spreading their message Nationally to fellow Greek Churches and Communities. Representatives from New York made their way to the Assumption and told them about the organization. Hence in 1953, Chapter 2094, Assumption received its charter both Nationally and through the Diocese level. Philoptochos “friend of the poor” was now vibrant in St Louis.
At that time, the Rhodian & Epirotic Communities were very large. Although many had their own organizations, almost every women of the community joined Philoptochos—they had 90 member. From their Church off Academy and with their 1st President, Maria Malonis (the mother of Mrs. Dessie Bellos) Assumption’s Philoptochos was ready to go to work—and continue to work today.
We raised money through:
- U City in the square when we were at our Delmar location
- The VP Fair St Louis that went from the 60s to the 80s
- Fundraisers at the Zoo for the Institute of Folklore
- Our Parish Festivals
- Valley of the flowers which we still do today
In 1958 we moved from Academy to University City and in 1979 donated $14,000 for the purchase of land we sit on today. By 1981, His Eminence Iakovos came for the blessing of our Church-the Church of course being the hall and the altar being the stage in our gymnasium. On that day, ribbons were cut for the Church, Sunday school classrooms, the Philoptochos Room, and the kitchen. Also on that day, Palm Sunday April 12th 1981, our Philoptochos voted to pay for the equipment in our kitchen. The amount would be $72,000 and came from funds from 1953 to 1982 along with additional sales of pastries and bazaars. We have also given to our new Church, 1 $10,000 chandelier, the Icon of the Holy Mother of God Iconostasion for $15,000, 2 pews at $5000, total cost of the Philoptochos Room and other items needed by the Church.
Throughout the 52 years of our Philoptochos, we have done so much for those in need as well as keeping traditions within the Church. We have raised funds for the Haiti Mission Drive, Tsunami victims, Project Mexico—we do the traditional Vasilopita each year for St. Basils Academy, we decorate the Epitaphio, we have given altar robes, give to organizations within the Church & Community, give help to Orthodox families in need, visit the sick, visit the old, all the way to being recognized this year for our monetary donation to the Philoxenia House by the Mayo Clinic which provides a free home for Orthodox family members as they wait treatment on a loved one. Our National Philoptochos guidelines state that we should 1st give philanthropy to outside charities and those in need before giving to our Church. However, without the contributions made by the Assumption Philoptochos to the Assumption Church, many items would not be present or would of taken longer to come into place. From 1995 to today, we have raised and donated to charities and our parish over $108,000.