December 2024 – The Paros Foundation

December 29, 2024

This Month at The Paros Foundation – December 2024

Make Your Year End Contribution Today!

This year, our year-end campaign focuses on the impact on the vital border community of Vardenis. By improving all parts of this community our goal is to raise the overall well-being of the people who call it home. Join us in uplifting this community in more ways than one this holiday season!

Artsakh Refugee Resettlement

Several more families are hoping to make the community of Vardenis their permanent home. Funding permitting, the Paros team will continue our existing housing resettlement program, which purchases, renovates, furnishes and gives these refugee families 90% ownership in their new homes. The balance of ownership will be transferred to them in 10 years to ensure a stable home for their entire family.

The budget to permanently resettle an average family of six people is $35,000, which includes a fully renovated and furnished home, furniture and appliances.

Humanitarian Aid

Meds Masrik School Renovation

Vardenis Adult Recreation Center

Paros friends and donors Dr. Gary & Mrs. Linda Assarian are matching donations up to $7,500 for our Artsakh Refugee Families Humanitarian Aid efforts! These funds will help us distribute important items such as firewood for heating and cooking, clothing, winter boots, and food packs to these families during the cold winter months.

The school in Meds Masrik currently has 425 students including 45 from Artsakh, and needs additional renovations to accommodate these new students. Once renovated, these classrooms will house the 4th- 8th grade students. The renovation for this wing will cost $95,000 including a new roof, furniture and heating system.

Elderly refugees from Artsakh have settled into this community and often are lonely. We have raised the funds necessary with the generous support of Patrick & Mary Goshtigian to renovate this center to both provide elderly refuges and other elderly villagers a place to gather, have a hot meal and engage in meaningful interactions.

Additional Artsakh Refugee
Family Receives New Home
The Harutyunyan family, Eric, his wife, two children and their grandmother received a new home in the city of Vardenis. The family is looking forward to a new start in a new space they can call home. Thank you to everyone who made this new start possible for the Harutyunyan family. Learn more about our Artsakh Refugee Support Fund here.

Paros Visits The East Coast
Members of our Paros team traveled to Boston to participate in several community activities including speaking at the annual Holy Translators Christmas Brunch about the Community Living for Elderly Refugee project, visiting the Holy Trinity’s annual Christmas Bazaar and speaking following church services. We also held strategy meetings regarding our Nourishing Armenia project, work taking place at Payuyr Sevak and other ongoing projects and upcoming efforts.

SERVICE Armenia 2025 Applications
Space is still available for our SERVICE Armenia 2025 summer trip! Join other diasporan Armenians for an incredible opportunity to connect with other Armenians, give back, and tour our Homeland.

The trip is happening June 25-July 16, 2025) and is open to participants ages 17-23. Spots are limited, apply here!

Join Med-Aid 2025!
Why join our medical trip? It’s simple, we have a goal to establish preventative care as a norm in Armenia. You can be a part of that change.

Join us June 21st – July 3rd, 2025 for an impactful and meaningful medical trip. All expertise levels are welcomed. Learn more and apply to make a positive difference in Armenia next summer here.

Have you given our podcast a listen? Pari Louys with Paros is your connection to the motherland, where we will learn, grow, and better Armenia, together!

Listen now on
Spotify | Apple | Amazon

the # of spots left on SERVICE
Armenia 2025

By Narine

Paros Blog

December 3, 2024

Giving Tuesday Impact on Vardenis

The Paros Foundation has already resettled 14 refugee families from Artsakh into the Vardenis communities of Meds Masrik and Geghamasar. Soon, two more families will be moved into new homes in the city of Vardenis. With this population growth, we hope to address four immediate needs for this important border community.

The school in Meds Masrik currently has 425 students including 45 from Artsakh, and needs additional renovations to accommodate these new students. We have already helped renovate and equip the computer classroom, the nurse’s station and three additional classrooms, but one additional wing needs a complete renovation. This wing encompasses four additional classrooms and one additional set of bathrooms. Once renovated, these classrooms will house the 4th- 8th grade students. The renovation for this wing will cost $95,000 including a new roof, furniture and heating system.

Elderly refugees from Artsakh have settled into this community and often are lonely and lack meaningful interaction. The community has provided a space to launch an elderly activity center with the partnership of a local charitable organization that is prepared to run the day to day at the center. We hope to raise the funds necessary to renovate this center to both provide elderly refuges and other elderly villagers a place to gather, have a hot meal and engage in meaningful interactions. The budget for the launch of this important project is $69,000.

Humanitarian aid for Artsakh refugee families continues to be an important priority. The Paros Foundation continues to distribute firewood for heating and cooking, clothing, winter boots, and food packs to these families with the generous support of individuals and organizations. As winter is especially cold in these communities, we must continue these distributions of humanitarian relief. Our budget for food, firewood and warm winter clothing is $15,000.