ABOUT US
As a community blessed with diverse gifts and deeply grateful to God, St. James COPA turns to the poor and marginalized in our society to journey with them in their struggles and alleviate their sufferings. In doing so, it also provides opportunities for those willing to share, to reach out and help a brother in need.
St. James COPA Foundation can trace its beginnings to 1993 when the newly established St. James the Great Parish created the Social Apostolate Committee composed of a handful of parishioners who wanted to conduct outreach programs in the needy communities surrounding the parish.
Among these were Elsie Gaches Village, Lingap Center for Streetchildren, and Tunasan City Jail. Then, in 1998, a priest friend of then St. James parish priest Msgr. Gerry Santos asked for financial help for his cash-strapped parish located in a remote part of the country. This gave Msgr. Santos an inspiration. At that time, St. James Parish had just completed building its beautiful church.
Could its mission perhaps be to share its blessings with less fortunate parishes? He broached the project to his parishioners, calling it the Adopt-A-Parish Program. He got such a generous response that it was decided to establish St. James COPA Foundation as the social apostolate arm of the parish.
The Social Apostolate Committee was put under the umbrella of the foundation and renamed Social Action Ministry. A third ministry, the Emergency Assistance Ministry was established in recognition of the fact that the country is regularly visited by natural calamities where the poorest of the poor are the most affected. Thus was born St. James COPA Foundation.
To date, COPA has extended financial assistance to over 500 poor parishes all over the country. Its Social Action Ministry has expanded to include institutions such as Alabang Hospice Foundation, Marillac Hills, Haven for Children, DVMI, Casa Miani. Its Emergency Assistance Ministry has extended relief and rehabilitation assistance to thousands of fire, typhoon and earthquake victims. COPA has also funded feeding programs for undernourished children in surrounding communities.
In 2003, five years after its founding, COPA was incorporated. It subsequently obtained accreditation as a donee institution by the Phil. Council for NGA Certification. As such, all donations to COPA are tax-deductible.
Honorary Chairman/Parish Priest
St. James the Great Parish
Chairman
President
Vice President/ Head, Social Action Ministry
Treasurer/ Fundraising Head
Corporate Secretary
Trustee
ADAP Head
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee (Ex-officio)
Honorary Chairman
Chairman
President
Vice President; SAM, VOLA+, and Hospice Head
Treasurer
Corporate Secretary
Fundraising Head
ADAP Head
Deputy Head
Each giving act provides hope and a better future for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
All rights reserved. 2022