Fund Spotlight: Annunciation's LEAF Fund Takes Root

Image credit: Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation

In 1930, a group of Greek immigrant families in Modesto came together to build the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. The congregation first gathered downtown at 6th and I Streets before moving, in 1957, to its current home on Tokay, near McHenry and Briggsmore. Today, the parish serves Orthodox Christian families from Merced to Manteca and Twain Harte to Patterson, part of a tradition that spans more than 300 million members worldwide and carries deep roots in Christian antiquity.

At a General Parish Assembly in May of 2026, the parish unanimously established an endowment fund for planned giving and legacy bequests. At that time, the assembly selected an Endowment Advisory Board including Nick Faklis, Gavin Hartley, Mike Zagaris and Fr. Cosmas Halekakis the parish priest.

"When I think of our parish’s budget, I think beyond paying our bills every month or funding repairs.  What could we use additional funds for?" said Gavin Hartley. He describes the church's funding as a three-legged stool: stewardship gifts covering the annual budget, a capital reserve for repairs, and now an endowment for everything beyond that, from new ministries to scholarships to community outreach.

That vision became LEAF, the Legacy Endowment of Annunciation Fund.

"This is a lasting legacy you can have to impact the church," Gavin said. "We will celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2030. We want to be around and flourishing in another 100 years. The money our parishioners contribute today will still be working for the church a century from now."

The idea took root when a parishioner willing to seed the initial gift spoke with Fr. Cosmas the parish priest. The parish then decided to match the initial gift with capital reserves and look for third-party professional to manage and invest the funds. A life-long parishioner and LEAF board member, Mike Zagaris, active in philanthropic work, recommended the parish look to Stanislaus Community Foundation to manage the fund.

"We didn’t have the expertise on our board to manage investments ourselves," Gavin said. He also stated that, "Having a foundation that’s local, professionally manages investments, and trusted by other organizations and families made it an easy choice. Local knowledge combined with professional know-how is a great combination."

Though LEAF is still in its early days, the parish already has a vision for what it could make possible. Leaders hope the fund can one day support scholarships, fund projects, expand community outreach efforts, and help launch new ministries.

"We want to reach out to our community and be seen as a generous steward beyond just the parish," Gavin said. "This gives us the ability to provide long-term security for our church while also giving back."

For a congregation built by immigrant families with little more than faith and determination, LEAF represents something larger: a way to ensure that Annunciation's generosity keeps giving for generations to come.

To learn more about the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, visit their website at https://goannunciation.org/