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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

Newsletters
March 31, 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – March 2023

Matching Challenge Nor Ughi School Gym
162 students attend the village school which is in overall poor condition. Currently, students cannot utilize the gym in its entirety because of the fact that the existing wood flooring is rotten and unsafe to walk on in many areas. Mr. & Mrs. John & June Mangassarian from Rhode Island have pledged to match any contribution to this important project to help. $30K is needed to make this project a reality! Donate here.

Fitness Training For Village Kids
The DaVArd Gym in Arshaluys Village was established by Davit Vardumyan, a worldwide Taekwondo competitor. Davit provides 70 children from his, and nearby communities, with free of charge training and use of the facilities. Davit is hoping to expand and offer boxing classes and is in need of some equipment. Sponsorship of this project will help raise the amount needed in order to help obtain 150 floor mats and heavy bags. Donate here.

New Home In Maghavuz, Artsakh
Manvel Nersisyan, his wife and four kids moved into their newly renovated home in Artsakh, which was completed during the start of the blockade. Despite the blockade, we are very happy to have been able to move a family into their new home after losing their previous home during the war.

Sponsor-A-Hive
Sponsor-A-Hive is back for a second time! We are raising funds to launch 50 hives in a new community through the Aygepar Business Incubator. Expanded honey production will create commercially viable quantities of honey both for local consumption and export. With every $300 donation, you will be able to support one hive, as well as receive a jar of honey with a customizable label. Donate here. Customize your label here.

Aygepar Incubator Feed
The production of high-quality pig food is now being produced locally and distributed to stores in the Berd Area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. In addition, local alfalfa was grown on previously abandoned nearby land specifically for use in this feed creating additional employment opportunities for local villagers. This project, along with the Dr. & Mrs. Gary & Linda Assarian sponsored honey project and the orchard and aquaponics project in the village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur are all part of our economic development efforts designed to create job opportunities and prosperity on the border.

Apelian Dental Clinic Re-Opened
The Apelian Dental Clinic at the Prkutyun Disabled Children & Young People Center NGO has been providing free dental services to disabled children and impoverished families and is now back after a brief hiatus. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to support the expenses of the Apelian Dental Clinic and put a smile on a child’s face! The monthly expenses to operate the clinic amount to $1,500. Donate here.

Spots still open for SERVICE Armenia
We still have room for more people to participate in SERVICE Armenia this summer! Join other participants on a meaningful trip to Armenia, giving back, touring, and connecting with the homeland! The trip will take place from June 24th-July 15th for participants ages 17-23. Apply here.

Med-Aid Armenia 2023
Med-Aid Armenia is back again this summer from June 19th – June 29th, 2023! Join our medical group as they make an impact throughout Armenia through medical exams, research, and more! This trip is open to all medical professionals and medical students. Learn more here.

Save The Date Fundraiser For Nor Hachen
Join us in Los Angeles on May 21st for a fundraiser benefiting the Nor Hachen Poly Clinic. This clinic serves an area that includes almost 13,000 people. Although the Clinic is a full-service medical center, its existing X-ray machine is unsafe and more than 50 years old. Contact Peter Abajian (310) 400-9061 for more information.

Learn more about opportunities to make an impact while also creating a tax benefit in our newest podcast episode exploring charitable giving strategies with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional, Eric Nikssarian.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon.

 

 

The # of hives still available to sponsor through our Sponsor-A-Hive initiative

By Narine
Paros Blog
March 17, 2023

Sponsor-A-Hive Back Again!

Economic opportunities for rural Armenian communities are scarce. To help address this important issue, The Paros Foundation has launched several initiatives aimed at job creation in rural communities. This includes planting more than 800 fruit-bearing trees, establishing a pig farm, fertilizer production, small animal feed production and honey production. These economic development opportunities are all administered under the auspices of the Aygepar Business Incubator, which provides rent-free space, sanitary conditions and marketing and technical expertise to local businesses.

The Paros Foundation successfully launched a high quality honey production just outside of the village of Verin Tsakhavan and later, in the village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur in the Berd area of Armenia’s Tavush Region with 200 bee hives. The immediate goal is to expand this production adding 50 more bee hives in a new community. This will both add to the commercially viable quantities of high-altitude, raw honey, and will lead to expanded job creation and opportunities in the market place. All components of this important project are manufactured locally in the Armenian market including the hives, bee families, wax starter sheets and concrete block stands. Even the glass jars for sale are manufactured in Armenia!

In addition to this project’s job creating and economic benefits, as with the hives in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, these new hives will serve as an educational curriculum for students at the school in the new village that is ultimately selected. This living classroom approach has proved very successful to date.

Donate Here
Customize Your Label
By Narine
Paros Blog
March 12, 2023

SERVICE Armenia 2023 Application Deadline Extended!

June 24th – July 15th, 2023
Ages 17-22

This trip will be three weeks with the same programming as past years. Participants aged 17-23 will serve, tour, and play in Armenia. Participant fees are $2,250 per person including a $400 charitable contribution, not including airfare.

Deadline to apply extended to March 31st!

SERVICE Armenia Application

If you have any questions about our SERVICE Armenia 2023 program please call Peter Abajian, Executive Director at (310) 400-9061 or contact him via email pabajian@gmail.com. For flight inquiries, please contact Shake at SIMA Tours SimaTours@gmail.com

By Narine
Press Releases
March 9, 2023

Finally, A Gym For Abovyan School #8

Since Soviet time, children at Abovyan’s School #8 did not have a gym for their physical education. The gym at the school had a leaky roof, broken windows and no heat. This made the facility too dangerous for students to use. Physical Education classes were held in regular classrooms and limited to individual sports or simple exercise. On February 20th, the newly renovated gym was officially opened thanks to the efforts of The Paros Foundation and supporter Seda Melkoni.

“Thanks to the leadership of Seda Melkoni, and her circle of supporters, this large gym project which will serve almost 500 students is now a reality. Together with her supporters, we have now completed the renovation of three of the six building’s roofs and now this large L-shaped gymnasium.”
-Peter Abajian, Executive Director

While the work on the medical center was completed in September of 2022—and the staff began work at the new center–the official ribbon cutting was delayed until mid-February because of the September attack on Armenia by Azerbaijan.
Before
After

During the opening celebration, Lusine Baghdasaryan, Principal of the school spoke about the challenges of not having a gym for students to use. She praised the work of The Paros Foundation work crew and staff, contributions from the Kotayk Regional Governor’s office and Abovyan Municipality. Students performed an exhibition of dance, song, gymnastics and martial arts for the guests.

The renovation of the gymnasium included the installation of a new ceiling, new smaller (energy efficient) windows, new electrical system and lighting, new heating system, new doors and the restoration of the flooring. New safety netting was installed throughout to protect the ceiling and windows from breakage. In addition to the renovation work overseen by The Paros Foundation, the Kotayk Regional Government provided funding for the new windows and the Municipality of Abovyan provided new sporting equipment for the school’s use. This work was all made possible through the support of the Berejikian and Melkonian Families with a special thanks to ELSO Foundation and donations in memory of Sogomon Dordulian.
By Narine