DEPTFORD, N.J. — The Greater Philadelphia Committee of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) held its 15th annual benefit banquet on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Adelphia Restaurant’s Pan Athenian Grand Ballroom in Deptford, New Jersey. The event drew Orthodox Christian supporters from across the Delaware Valley to raise funds for humanitarian relief efforts worldwide.
The evening included a silent auction, dinner, opening and closing prayers, and presentations about IOCC’s humanitarian programs. The St. Philip Orthodox Church Youth Choir from Souderton, Pennsylvania, also performed during the program.
Deacon Michael (Charles) Sandilos of St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill, chairman of the Greater Philadelphia Committee, served as master of ceremonies. Anthony “Tony” Pantazopoulos, the committee’s chairman emeritus, delivered welcoming remarks, while IOCC Development Officer Louis A. Zagami spoke about the organization’s work.
In an interview recorded ahead of the banquet, Zagami said organizers expected approximately 340 guests. He described the gathering as an opportunity to raise awareness of IOCC’s programs and encourage support for people facing hardship.
Founded in 1992, IOCC provides emergency relief and development assistance without discrimination based on religion or background. The organization has worked in more than 60 countries and reported reaching nearly one million people in 2025 through programs assisting communities affected by conflict, displacement, and natural disasters.
For Pantazopoulos, his commitment to IOCC began with firsthand experiences in the Balkans following the wars of the 1990s. In a recorded interview, he recalled visiting devastated communities and witnessing the difficulties families faced as they attempted to rebuild.
“I saw with my own eyes the devastation,” he said.
One experience involved a man whose home had been rebuilt but who subsequently lost a leg after stepping on a land mine. Pantazopoulos recalled that a prosthetic limb was obtained to help the man walk again. Encounters like that convinced him to become more involved in humanitarian assistance.
He traced the local fundraising effort to a small gathering at Annunciation Church approximately 16 years ago, when 24 people attended and $14,000 was raised. Since then, the annual banquet has grown through the efforts of volunteers and supporters from Orthodox parishes across the Philadelphia region.
Sandilos said hearing Pantazopoulos speak about his experiences encouraged him and his wife to become involved with the committee. He was particularly drawn to IOCC’s practice of assisting people regardless of nationality, religion, ethnicity, or political background.
The organization’s work extends to the United States, Greece, Ukraine, the Middle East, and other regions where communities continue to face the consequences of conflict and disasters. More information about its humanitarian programs and opportunities to contribute is available at iocc.org.
For Sandilos, one of the most important aspects of that work is IOCC’s continued presence after the immediate emergency has passed, when families are still struggling to rebuild their lives.
“When the news cameras go off, people are still suffering, and the IOCC is still there,” he said.