A Little About Us
We are a charitable outreach of the Orthodox Church in the Twin Cities, providing basic-needs assistance to those who come to our doors. Our serving our neighbor is predicated on love - what could be better than that?
Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve
FOCUS Minnesota is a non-profit 501c3 domestic charitable provider, part of a national Pan-Orthodox Christian agency, working operationally on pervasive and persistent issues of poverty in our communities. FOCUS Minnesota is an outreach of the Orthodox Christian churches in the greater Twin Cities area. Our mission is to the under-served poor, the homeless, and the working poor, providing them with Food, Occupation, Clothing, Understanding and Service (FOCUS). The outreach programs of FOCUS Minnesota are intended to enable FOCUS, and its partners, to meet the pressing demands of the poor and needy, and to initiate and/or augment charitable and humanitarian operations in the Twin Cities.
Our Values
FOCUS Minnesota affirms and honors the image of God in every person, Christian, and non-Christian alike. We share our love for Christ and our neighbor indiscriminately. Our goal is to treat our neighbor in such a way that dignity is preserved in our serving and giving. We believe empowering people to help themselves is fundamental, although temporary and/or transitional assistance is often needed, and freely given.
Our Prayer
O Master Lord our God, who bids everyone according to their purpose to offer unto Thee, Thine own of Thine own, and bestows upon them in return Thine everlasting blessings; do Thou now also accept the things here offered by Thy servants, gathered as FOCUS. Grant unto us oneness of mind and spirit, and an openness to receive Thy grace and give of it freely to those whom we serve. And to the guests we shall receive this day, O merciful Lord, grant peace, security, healing and Thy merciful loving-kindness as they bear the challenges of this earthly life. For blessed is Thy name, and glorified is Thy kingdom, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Local Staff
Vera S. Proctor, Director
Vera Proctor was appointed director of FOCUS Minnesota in 2010. Her educational and professional background is in communications, marketing, and broadcasting and has worked in the fields of advertising, television, arts management and public broadcasting. Prior to joining FOCUS she was a producer and the show director for a daily nationally distributed classical music program produced by Minnesota Public Radio. Vera grew up in Chicago, and attended the University of Illinois, the Sorbonne in Paris France, and attended St. Vladimir's Seminary with an emphasis in Liturgical Music from 1985-1988. She is married to Fr. Jonathan Proctor and they serve a parish, Holy Trinity (OCA), which is located on the on the east side of St. Paul, MN. They are the parents of two adult children and have been part of the Orthodox community in the Twin Cities for more than 30 years.
Laraine Pennington, Office Administrator & Volunteer Coordinator
Laraine Pennington joined FOCUS as a volunteer in 2022. She was born and raised in Florida but loves living and working in Minnesota. With a background in writing and improv, she helped develop a non-profit in Minneapolis called Improv Parenting, which helped teach parents and kids how to use improv games to build more enjoyable playing experiences. She is married with two daughters and lives in Saint Paul where her family are all members of Holy Trinity (OCA).
Dustin Hertzog, Client Resource Navigator
Dustin has been with Focus MN since the fall of 2022, working in a new position in partnership with the St. Paul Public School’s Project REACH- a program which serves un-housed and highly-mobile students and families. He studied music, earning a Bachelors from Oklahoma City University and Masters from UW-Milwaukee- both in voice, and has worked as a performer and educator. In his free time he can be found attending concerts or crate digging for vinyl. Dustin lives in Northeast Minneapolis with his wife Emily and their daughter, attends St. Mary’s (OCA) and sings with the cathedral choir.
Advisory Council
Jennifer Awes Freeman
Associate Professor of Theology and the Arts United Theological Seminary
Sarah Khoury
Trusts & Estates Attorney
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Simeon Morbey
Anti-trust Attorney
Lockridge Grindal Nauen
Jeanette Neumann Dressen
Senior-level Finance Recruiter
Robert Half Associates
Steven Rakes, M.D.
Oculoplastic & Orbital Reconstructive Surgeon
Park Nicollet Department of Ophthalmology
Youseff Haddad
State of Minnesota
Information Technology
Retired
Mary Samoszuk
Non-profit consultant
Mona Shenouda
Auditor
State of Minnesota
Dn. Phillip Wagner
Endowed Chair -
Medicinal Chemistry
University of Minnesota
James Yacoub
Broker / Owner
Northstar Real Estate Associates