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The Paros Foundation underwrites all administrative and overhead costs allowing 100% of all donor contributions to go directly towards projects and supported organizations.

Donations to The Paros Foundation Projects for Prosperity are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To sponsor a project through The Paros Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 organization (Tax ID 20-5094630), or learn more about specific projects in need of funding, please contact us using the information below.

Contacts

2217 5th Street

Berkeley CA 94710

info@parosfoundation.org

(310) 400 9061

Paros Blog
September 24, 2021

Ghoghanj Children Win at First-Ever Drone Competition

The children of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center recently competed in the first-ever Armenian drone competition, and won! This competition was put on by the Karen Vardanyan Educational Foundation, named after the late Karen Vardanyan who helped implement robotics and drone research in schools. The prize was sponsored by Picsart, international company based in Armenia.

We are delighted to see the students of the center thriving and proud that the money awarded will be used to buy more equipment. Keep up the good work!

As part of the Paros family of organizations supported in Armenia, Ghoghanj provides after school and summer care for children at two locations in Yerevan. Activities like this drone competition help these children find their passions and ultimately sets them up for a future of success.

The competition took place in Lori, first because of the terrain, and second because there is an effort to take technology to areas outside of Yerevan.
The Ghoghanj Children’s Center located in the Kentron of Yerevan provides after school and summer school programs for approximately 60 children every month. Children who attend the Center are loosely defined as “at risk.” These children typically come from very poor households, often times with a single head of household, who cannot pay for such assistance. The goal of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the necessary academic, psychological and social support to ensure that the children attending mature to well adjusted, successful, young adults.
By Narine
Paros Blog
September 22, 2021

Two New Families Now Resettled Through The Armenian Resettlement Coalition

We are excited to announce that the Yegoryan and Beglaryan Families from Artsakh have moved into their new homes through the Armenian Resettlement Coalition. These are the first two families to be moved into Mets Masrik, a new village for the ARC initiative. Mets Masrik is in the Gegharkunik Region near the city of Vardenis and many refugee families have taken shelter in this area after the war.

A huge thank you is due to our coalition partners Focus On Children Now, Teach For Armenia, and Sahman NGO. Additionally, a huge thank you to all of our donors who contributed to our matching fundraiser to make a difference for our displaced brothers and sisters. Together we can make a true difference for these families.

The Yegoryan Family and their seven children fleed their home of 22 years in Yeghegnut, Shahumian Region of Artsakh. They moved around for months with hope that they could return back to their home, where they enjoyed life comfortably. Although they aren’t able to return, the Yegoryan Family is thankful to now have a permanent home where they can have a fresh, safe start, as a family.

The Beglaryan Family and their five children lost their home in Nor Erkej, Shahumian Region, in Artsakh. The family was separated as both parents worked as chefs in the military base. Once the war began David sent his wife and children to evacuate. He couldn’t escape until the ceasefire, when he took what he could and left. Now reunited with his family, they look forward to brighter days in their new home.

ARC Partner Organization Responsibilities
The Paros Foundation is financially responsible for purchasing homes, home renovations and its staff to identify and screen families for resettlement. Sahman NGO, will finance, design and implement a significant economic support effort to enable each family to successfully generate enough income to support themselves. Focus on Children Now (FCN) will completely furnish the family home including major appliances and will supplement each of the family’s children with a three-month nutrition plan. In addition, FCN will underwrite the tuition of all kindergarten-aged children to attend school and secure the benefit of early education. Teach For Armenia will provide each school-aged child a computer tablet and internet connection. In addition, Teach For Armenia’s Emergency Education Program will work directly with school leadership to provide additional educational and psychological support for these children as part of their community transition and integration. Coalition partners will offer final approvals for all aspects of the complete package for each family.

Donate

For more information, please contact any of the coalition partners or email
armenianresettlementcoalition@gmail.com

Focus on Children Now (FCN)
Sahman NGO
Teach For Armenia (TFA)
The Paros Foundation

By Narine
Press Releases
September 9, 2021

First SERVICE Armenia Trips Back Since 2020 Connect Diasporan Youth & Young Professionals to Armenia

Since 2013, The Paros Foundation’s SERVICE Armenia program has taken young people ages 17 to 22 to Armenia for a month-long service and tour program. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Paros had to sadly cancel their 2020 trip, but couldn’t keep their young and eager future participants away for long. Paros returned to Armenia this summer with 12 participants for yet another life-changing and successful SERVICE Armenia trip.

 “SERVICE Armenia connects young people from throughout the United States to one another and to the homeland in a meaningful and lasting way. I am so happy we were able to offer this summer’s program in a safe and successful manner.”
-Peter Abajian, Executive Director

Although this year’s program was only for a two-week period, the SERVICE Armenia group accomplished an amazing amount of service work. The group worked on painting the Ghoghanj Children’s Center, an organization The Paros Foundation supports in Yerevan and refurbishing and painting the outdoor playground at the Kindergarten & Preschool in the village of Paruyr Sevak. The group implemented orphan excursions for children from the Yerevan Children’s Home and the Kharpert Home for Special Children. They assembled food packets and distributed them to 50 impoverished families, as a part of our Groceries for Gyumri project. The group also spent the day at the Debi Arach Children’s Center during which they helped teach the children American Football as a part of the American Summer Grant awarded to the center.

Alongside the SERVICE Armenia program, The Paros Foundation hosted their medical mission, Med-Aid Armenia, this summer with the leadership of Kaiser Permanente Pediatrician, Dr. Kirkor Deramerian. He was joined by three SERVICE Armenia participants interested in the medical field to help conduct basic eye, ear and physical exams at the Kentron and Nor Nork Ghoghanj Children’s Centers, the Paruyr Sevak Preschool & Kindergarten and the Debi Arach Children’s Center.

“Armenia is struggling, and working hard, to meet the needs of its people. We must all do our part as Armenians, and citizens of the world. Med Aid Armenia worked to do its part by helping give kids & families access to the most important and basic need: Health. With this, they can have an opportunity for a healthy and successful future.”
-Dr. Krikor Deramerian.

Sign Up For SERVICE Armenia Fall 2021

Due to overwhelming interest from young adults and professionals to join SERVICE Armenia, The Paros Foundation has decided to host their first ever SERVICE Armenia Young Professionals trip this fall! This program is open to participants 24 years of age and older and will include professional opportunities and official meetings in addition to tours to historic, religious and cultural sites in Armenia and service work on Paros projects. The program has English speaking staff and guides, safe and well-located accommodations and transportation combined with interesting cultural and educational activities that will ensure all will have an engaging and memorable experience.

Applications are available on The Paros Foundation’s
website www.parosfoundation.org. Participants need not be of Armenian descent; the program is open to everyone. Knowledge of the Armenian language is not required. Join us and create a lifetime of great memories and friends. The deadline to submit the completed application is September 15, 2021. Contact Peter Abajian at
(310) 400-9061 for more information.

By Narine
Paros Blog
September 1, 2021

Assarian Vocational Training Program Launches New Luxury Beauty Salon & School

We are so excited to announce that a new cosmetology program has been added to the Assarian Vocational Program that will serve as a vehicle for impoverished people from Gyumri to learn new skills and secure gainful employment. The program is designed to teach skills such as hairdressing/barbering, esthetics, makeup application, manicure/pedicure and children’s hair in a luxury salon with the goal of providing high-quality training within the framework of a social enterprise.

With renovations of the space complete, the salon is in the process of hiring staff with plans to be fully open mid-October.

A huge thank you to the Assarian Family, whose vision and funding helped create this new opportunity for the people of Gyumri! With their help we were able to launch the Assarian Vocational Center, that has been hugely successful in providing a high level of training for students to eventually obtain work and support themselves and their families out of poverty.

The Assarian Vocational Program started with the help of the Dr. Gary and Linda Assarian Family Foundation, as an opportunity for students of Debi Arach to learn valuable skills in areas like technology for future employment opportunities. Since 2017, the program has grown to be a hugely successful vehicle to bring the young generation of Gyumri out of poverty for good. With partnerships like learning opportunities with Digital Pomegranate for coding, knowledge in textiles through the local Lentex factory, beauty salon training and more the vocational program is setting up these participants to change their own lives.

“Our goal is to help people learn a skill and successfully gain employment. We are excited to support Paros in these innovative programs and their future plans.”

-Dr. Gary Assarian

By Narine