ROCHESTER, Minn. – For over 10 years, the Philoxenia House Mission has been in operation in downtown Rochester, close to the Mayo Clinic. Its mission is to live out the verse “I was a stranger and you took me in” (Mathew 25:35) by providing free housing to Mayo Clinic patients and their family members in need of assistance. While previously it focused primarily on Orthodox members from throughout the world, because of the need a decision was made to expand its mission to open its doors to all individuals in need, regardless of religious beliefs.

With this enlarged mission, a $10 million Philoxenia Village Expansion program is under way and the organization seeks donations. Currently there are two small apartment house located next to the church and the Mayo Clinic, providing capacity for 20 individuals. The organization plans to purchase two small apartment homes next to its facilities, but this won’t cover longterm needs. 

The proposed expansion calls for a 20-100 unit complex to replace these small apartment units. Capacity could exceed 250 individuals with this development. Philoxenia House currently owns some of the property. The rest is available for purchase. Fund–raising efforts have begun and to accomplish this project, a Philoxenia Vision Wall will be built within the new Philoxenia Village Expansion with the following fundraising levels:

• Brick Sponsorship – $1,000 contribution. Each brick of the Vision Wall will contain the name and hometown of the sponsor, providing an illustration of “strangers providing love.”
• Cornerstone Sponsorship – $10,000 contribution. Each flagstone cornerstone on the Philoxenia Vision Wall will contain the name and hometown or the sponsor. Contribution can be pledged to be paid out over a 10–year period.
• Builder Sponsorship – $50,000 contribution. Each builder will have their name and hometown prominently placed on a plaque on our Philoxenia Village Wall. Contribution can be pledged to be paid out over up to 10 years. • Room Sponsorship – $100,000 contribution. Offers the opportunity to name one of the new 100 rooms! With the name rights comes the freedom to advertise the availability of the room to friends, family, employees or customers. Businesses and corporations can list this in their benefits package as an resource provided by the business/corporation. For larger businessescorporations, multiple rooms can be purchased. Contribution can be pledged to be paid out over up to 20 years.

For more information, visit www. PhiloxeniaHouse.org. If you have an opportunity for us to make a request presentation to your parish, business, corporation, organization, at an event, or other such gathering, please contact John Ackerman at (309) 635-7624 or: [email protected]. Contributions can be sent to: Philoxenia House Mission, 703 West Center St., Rochester, Minn. 55902.