St. Demetrios Housing for Active Adults Hosts Christmas Benefit

On Sunday, December 19th, The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey and the Philotimo Housing Development Corporation organized A Christmas Benefit at the Grand Marquis in Old Bridge, New Jersey, in honor of their soon-to-be-built Waterfront Complex, St. Demetrios Housing for Active Adults.  The St. Demetrios Housing will feature one and two-bedroom waterfront condominiums on the Raritan River in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.  This sort of project is a first for the Metropolis of New Jersey and the committee hopes to get back to building the condominiums within the next couple of months as plans halted when COVID-19 hit.

The Christmas Benefit was well attended by over 175 guests from the tri-state area.  The committee members of the event included Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Cottros, Honorable Marina Corodemus, Stavros Antonakakis, Robert Durso, Helen (Coutros) Horan, Elias Iliadis, M.D., Peter Kakoyiannis, Spero Kalambakas, Esq., Paul Kotrotsios, Jeffrey Michals, Peter Stavrianidis, Ph.D., Stella Wacker, and Manny Xidias.  Several distinguished guests were in attendance including the honoree of the evening His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros and His Grace Bishop Apostolos of Medeia.

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros greeted the guests and shared a heartfelt speech. “It is a great distinction for me to be your honoree this evening, as we re-initialize this wonderful and vital project: Philotimo – Saint Demetrios Housing for Active Adults.  It was just two years ago that we commenced this vital initiative with the groundbreaking. But like so many other endeavors, we found ourselves thwarted by the pandemic. Nevertheless, you – the good people of this Metropolis and of the wonderful Community of Perth Amboy – are believers in something greater than any obstacle. For you know, with the Theologian John, that “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world,” shared Archbishop Elpidophoros.

Honorable Marina Corodemus, president of the Philotimo Housing Development Corporation spoke to the Hellenic News of America regarding the project and said, “This is the kickoff and rebooting of our project to create a Pan-Orthodox retirement community in Perth Amboy New Jersey, for the Metropolis of New Jersey. It is our goal to make affordable housing for people who want to live an orthodox way of life in retirement.  This will be the first in our Metropolis.  The advantage of Saint Demetrios is being located on the absolutely gorgeous Raritan River in the historic part of Perth Amboy.”

The St. Demetrios Housing will feature a caring lifestyle, onsite chapel, dining venue, and more importantly fellowship of a new community.  There will be a food plan that will be set in place so that residents can properly fast with nutritious food in accordance with the church calendar. 

Honorable Corodemus went on to say, “We are hoping that maybe there are a few maybe generous people out there that will understand and Panagia will soften their heart to help us achieve this goal because so many people will be helped not only the residents but we hope to make this a joint project with the Metropolis a center for senior missions. So that the programs and the projects we have in Perth Amboy will be able to spread out across the Metropolis.”

Father Nektarios Cottros, who is overseeing the project went on to thank all the guests and supporters of the project.  “The outpouring of love for this very worthy project has been just enormous.  We thank everyone that was here tonight.  We encourage everyone to participate in this. This is a ministry that has been needed for many many years in this Metropolis and Archdiocese. We are thankful to all those who started it. We hope this will be a catalyst for other parishes to start doing the same as well. This is just a ministry of Perth Amboy for Saint Demetrios but of the Metropolis. This will be a place we will all be proud of,” shared Father Nektarios Cottros.

Committee member Judge Spero Kalambakas shared with the Hellenic News of America how happy he was to be at the fundraiser. He went on to say, “We have had the opportunity to meet and mingle with so many interesting people and so many great supporters of our cause.  We are proud to announce that soon we will have the opportunity to begin the groundbreaking on the active adult community.  It is a Pan-Orthodox organization dedicated to the ministry and the care of our elder orthodox seniors. It will be a place for them to enjoy each other’s company, to pray, to break bread, share stories and create new memories.”  

According to the project’s website, these are luxury condominiums for adults 55+ designed by Kurt Ludwig Architect. Units within Saint Demetrios Housing for Active Adults will be offered for sale upon registration of the project with the NJ Department of Community Affairs. Non-binding reservations for units are now available. For anyone considering purchasing a unit may contact Bob Durso, Realtor: 732-596-2121 or visit online at https://stdemetrioshousing.com/

For more information on the project please visit www.stdemetrioshousing.com and to donate visit www.support.stdemetrioshousing.com.