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LOVE THY NEIGHBOR MINISTRY
OUR CALLING
Love Thy Neighbor is where faith meets real need in our community. We're a Christ-centered ministry that started at Dormition Orthodox Church, but we welcome volunteers from all Christian backgrounds. Led by Angela Shermanopoulos, our ministry brings together believers who want to turn compassion into tangible action—because loving your neighbor isn't just a commandment, it's a calling we live out together.
HOW WE SERVE
Our ministry operates on a seasonal rhythm, ensuring year-round support for our community's most vulnerable:
October - December: Kids' Christmas Drive
We make sure foster children experience the joy and wonder of Christmas morning. Through generous donations and volunteer hours, we provide wrapped gifts that remind these children they are seen, valued, and loved.
May - July: Backpacks for Foster Kids
We fill 100+ backpacks with school supplies and essentials for children in foster care, giving them tools for success and a tangible reminder that their community believes in their future.
Year-Round: Responding to Needs Where They Arise
Our ministry also supports broader community needs, including:
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Providing warm socks and coats to the Warming Station.
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Cooking meals for the Somerville Homeless Coalition, other community refrigerators, and local pantries.
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Transporting shut-in elderly to community events, services, and family meals.
Community Refrigerator – Opening January 2026
We’re building a community refrigerator on our property to provide fresh, nutritious food to anyone in need. This isn’t just about food—it’s about creating a place of hope, dignity, and care for our neighbors. Your donations help us keep it stocked consistently so that every visitor can find something to eat, no matter the season.
When a Community Opens Its Heart, 100 Children Feel the Love
What happens when neighbors answer a simple call to help? Something extraordinary.
Volunteers from across Somerville gathered for one purpose: to let children in foster care know they matter. Together, we filled 100 backpacks with school supplies, but we gave so much more than pencils and notebooks.
Inside each backpack, a child will find a handmade card carrying a personal message of encouragement. After Divine Liturgy, Father Anthony blessed every single pack, praying that each child would feel loved and cared for despite the challenges they face.
These backpacks represent children who often carry their belongings in plastic bags as they move from home to home. Now, they’ll start the school year knowing that strangers became family long enough to say: You are seen. You are valued. You are loved.
Click the button below to read the full story of how our community came together
OUR MISSION
Love Thy Neighbor turns faith into action through hands-on service that changes lives. We're Christians from all backgrounds coming together to meet urgent needs—filling backpacks for foster kids, bringing Christmas joy through gift drives, stocking community fridges, and serving meals to our hungry neighbors. Every volunteer, donation, and prayer becomes a direct lifeline to someone who needs to know they matter. This isn't just charity—it's love with sleeves rolled up.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Join the Ministry Team Commit to our monthly 1-hour Zoom meetings (occasionally in-person) where we plan initiatives, coordinate volunteers, and pray for our community. Ministry team members help shape our direction and ensure every initiative runs smoothly.
Volunteer for Initiatives Choose what speaks to your heart:
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Helper: Assist with events, pack bags, serve meals, or help with setup/cleanup
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Captain: Lead a specific initiative, coordinate volunteers, and oversee event logistics
Each season offers different ways to serve, so you can participate when your schedule allows.
Donate Your Resources Your financial support directly transforms lives:
Online: Donate securely through Square
By Check: Make checks payable to "Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church" with "Love Thy Neighbor" in the memo line. Mail to: [29 Central Street, Somerville, MA 02143]
Every donation—whether $10 or $100—becomes backpack supplies, Christmas gifts, or meals that show our neighbors they matter.
GET STARTED TODAY
Ready to love your neighbor in action?
Join our volunteer list and we'll connect you with upcoming opportunities that match your interests and availability.
Questions? Contact Angela, Ministry Leader, at shareduser@dormitionchurch.org or reach out through the church office.
WHY THIS MATTERS
In a world that often feels divided, Love Thy Neighbor proves that faith communities can be a source of hope, dignity, and practical help. When a foster child opens their Christmas gift, when a hungry family finds a warm meal, when a student starts school with a backpack full of supplies—these moments don't just meet needs. They restore faith in humanity and show God's love in the most practical ways possible.
Your community needs you. Your neighbors are waiting. Love is calling.
Join us in turning compassion into action—one neighbor at a time.