February 26, 2025 Naples, Florida Gathering
The capital campaign committee hosted an event in Naples, Florida, where many of our parishioners spend their winter months. It was a beautiful, sunny day and was well attended by approximately 30 people. Father George, along with campaign co-chairs George Philippou and Dino Mallas, presented the case for the All Together/Oli Mazi Capital Campaign and its importance to our community. They highlighted the behind-the-scenes work done over the past five years through countless hours and by numerous members of the Cathedral. Renderings of the proposed renovations were shared, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. As the campaign gears into full swing, additional events will be held closer to home in Baltimore to raise awareness and the funds needed to transform our facilities into something we can all be proud of. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who attended for their fellowship and future support of the campaign.
February 9, 2025 Announcement Sunday
Campaign co-chairs, Karen and George Philippou announced the public launch of the Capital Campaign. One of many milestones, a Campaign banner was unveiled on the exterior of the Cathedral.
Currently, there are 3 different ways to support the Campaign as a volunteer. Volunteer cards are available in the Cathedral’s vestibule on the welcome table. Once filled out, please leave the cards in the designated box or email us at alltogethercc@annunciationbaltimore.org.
Prayer Partner: we ask that you pray that God opens our hearts so that we can feel His love through our generosity and our service to others
Hospitality Team: be part of our hospitality team that will help with several parish-wide events this Spring and Summer
Host Event by Personal Invitation: consider hosting a small gathering of family and close friends in your home in support of the Campaign
In the days and months ahead, we will be sharing a packet with each family containing Campaign materials for your prayerful consideration. After which point, your pledge will be welcomed.
January 29, 2025
We are excited to announce the next phase of the All Together/Oli Mazi Capital Campaign, named in honor of the spirit of unity. Join us on Sunday, February 9th following Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral, where opportunities for participation will be announced.
This campaign is an essential step in securing the future of our historic Cathedral—not only to modernize our facilities, but to ensure the continued growth and well-being of our ministries and philanthropic efforts. Your support will help us sustain our sacred mission, strengthen our community, and make a lasting impact for generations to come.
We invite you to come together as we take this important step forward in the life of our church. Your participation and renewed generosity will play a key role in shaping the future of our beloved Cathedral.
We look forward to seeing you there!
January 6, 2025 Status Update
Education Building Plans
The Cathedral’s Owner’s Representative, Lou Baird, and an “ad hoc” committee established by the Parish Council (consisting of members of the Building & Maintenance Committee, the Capital Campaign Committee, and the Executive Committee), have held numerous meetings with Urban Design Group (UDG) to review conceptual drawings for the Education Building renovation. The Parish Council is finalizing its review and approval of the contract with the mechanical engineer, Engenium, with anticipated approval by late January/early February. UDG is prepared to issue the next phase of drawings (Design Development set), after receiving and incorporating the engineered drawings from Engenium.
After issuance, review and approval of UDG’s Design Development set, the plans will be circulated to a list of 3-4 qualified construction managers, who will be interviewed by Mr. Baird and the “ad hoc” committee on their qualifications, fees for pre-construction services and during construction (including general conditions). Upon conclusion of the interviews, a recommendation will be provided to the Parish Council to retain a construction manager, initially to provide pre-construction advisory services during the design and planning phase.
General Updates
The Capital Campaign Committee has created two subcommittees that have been working diligently over the last few months. The Marketing and Communication Subcommittee has been working to produce presentation and marketing materials, improve the Campaign’s dedicated website alltogethercc.org, and begin filming video footage to be used for various Campaign purposes. The Donor Solicitation Subcommittee has been holding engagement sessions with Cathedral stakeholders to obtain their feedback and counsel on the Campaign before beginning the broader outreach to our greater community.
The Capital Campaign Committee looks forward to launching a more visible phase, and sharing additional progress with our parishioners, in the near future.
November 17, 2024 (Posting updated January 6, 2025)
The Capital Campaign co-chairs presented an update on the progress being made by the Campaign Committee in coordination with the Cathedral’s leadership. Attendees were briefed on the next three (3) phases of the project, now that the foundational phase (AOC renovation) is complete. The next phase will be the complete renovation of the Father George P. Gallos Education Building, followed by the transformation of the Preston Street rowhouses. Conceptual renderings of both project phases were shown, which are also available on the newly launched campaign website, alltogethercc.org.
The third phase of the campaign is to strengthen the Cathedral’s endowment, in order to ensure our ministries' important work continues long into the future.
An update was provided on dollars raised thus far. To date, including the $691,000 balance from the prior campaign, the Campaign has received $2.5 million in donations and pledges towards the $6 million goal for the Education Building. A professional consultant has also been retained. Tom Sonni of Greater Missionspecializes in fundraising for religious institutions and is advising on the campaign as it gets into gear in January.
The Campaign co-chairs officially announced the exciting news of a grant opportunity from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which has awarded the Cathedral a $300,000 conditional grant (provided that matching donations are made, and all other necessary funds are raised by December 31, 2025). We are honored by this international organization’s recognition of the meaningful work taking place through our Cathedral’s ministries, and it provides an important catalyst for the fundraising ahead!
In closing, the co-chairs emphasized the importance of this Campaign to our Cathedral, and how we can no longer kick the can down the road. The goal is bold but can be successfully achieved by the renewed and collective generosity of our entire community. All Together!
November 12, 2024
The Capital Campaign Committee and subcommittee members have met and are actively working on numerous fronts. Preparation in advance of the official campaign launch progresses in partnership with the Parish Council and its committees.
An architectural firm was selected to complete design documents for the Education Building construction project. Through a competitive selection process, the Parish Council unanimously chose Urban Design Group (UDG), a local firm based in Baltimore City. A kickoff meeting with UDG was held on October 2 and the design process is underway.
As noted in our prior update, repair and replacement projects were identified by the Building & Maintenance Committee, particularly those critical to the Cathedral’s infrastructure. Repair work has begun and is near completion on the exterior masonry and roof along Maryland Avenue and the Cathedral’s northern facade. These repairs are intended to address moisture-related issues impacting our sanctuary’s interior walls. The next project is the installation of the hot water heater. A potential replacement of the boiler system is being assessed in coordination with the new HVAC system being engineered for the Education Building renovations.
In closing, a Capital Campaign presentation with further updates is scheduled for the General Assembly Meeting on Sunday, November 17th. Please make plans to attend as we move forward on this transformational journey for our Cathedral and its parishioners. All Together!
