Blog Listing – Page 2 – The Paros Foundation

November 30, 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – November 2023

Update On Artsakh Refugee Support Fund
As a result of generous support from supporters of The Paros Foundation, 25 homes are now in the process of being purchased, renovated and given to families from Artsakh who have taken refuge in Armenia following the Azeri takeover of Artsakh in late September. This significant number of homes are located in the Kapan community of Kajaran, the Berd community of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur and the Vardenis community of Geghamasar. These 25 permanent homes for families is only the start, and other homes will be purchased, renovated and given to families as more funds are raised. Paros is also proud to be partnered with the Organization of Humanitarian Services for Armenia (DSA), who will be supplying needed appliances for homes for these families. In addition to this important program to help Artsakh refugee families, The Paros Foundation is continuing to distribute “Zadur Shoes” winter boots for women and children, and new clothing as needed.
Donate and learn more here.

Housing, Vocational, & Children’s
Center Groundbreaking
Government officials, staff, friends, and supporters all gathered for the official groundbreaking on October 30, 2023, of The Paros Foundation’s new housing, vocational training and children’s center building in Gyumri. The project budget to complete construction on the entire building is estimated to cost $800,000. $300,000 has already been raised towards this important effort. Learn more and donate here.

Fuel Through Firewood: Gyumri
The harsh winters and extreme poverty lead to people picking through trash to find something that they can burn to keep warm and cook food for their families. Due to the intense cold weather and toxic fumes, children often get sick and are unable to attend school. This effort will ensure that 300 families in Gyumri will receive fuel for heating and cooking through firewood for a month’s period. Donate here.

Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur Home Build
After losing her husband in an accident, Karine S. had little hope of having their new home remodeled and made livable for her two young sons. Thanks to the continued support of Jean-Marie Atamian and his family, who have continuously invested in both complete home remodels and home repairs in the village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, Karine and her sons will soon be living in a newly renovated and expanded home. With this continued support from the Atamian Family, and our Prosperity on the Border initiative, more than 10% of the village’s homes have been rebuilt and have had significant improvements made to them, helping improve the living conditions and lives of the families in this important border community.

Stepanavan School Bathrooms
Students at the St. Gregory the Illuminator School in Stepanavan returned to school following their fall vacation to 8 of the school’s 15 restrooms fully renovated and ready for use! Construction on the school’s remaining seven restrooms will be completed within the next two weeks. Work on the school’s restrooms follows the replacement of the entire school’s heating system, windows and roof over the school’s gym. Efforts to improve conditions at the school are being led by significant donations from Diane Barsam and her family and friends in memory of her father, Vartkess Barsam, who carefully managed the school’s original construction following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake.

Vanadzor Heating System
In advance of the onslaught of winter, the Vanadzor Music School #3 has received a brand new heating system consisting of new boilers, pipes and radiators throughout the three floors of the school. The old heating system ceased operating at the end of last winter and needed to be completely replaced. This new system will work more efficiently and heat the school better, creating a comfortable environment for the teachers and students. This project was made possible by the generous support of brothers, Arman and Ara Bernardi and their respective families.

Save The Date: Med-Aid Armenia 2024

June 23, 2024 – July 5, 2024

Medical professionals and students are able to give back by joining our 2024 Med Aid Medical Mission to Armenia. For more information contact Dr. Krikor Deramerian Med Aid Mission Chair (818)416-7457.

Save The Date: SERVICE Armenia 2024

June 23, 2024 – July 14, 2024

Young people ages 17-22 are able to join us for three amazing weeks in Armenia. Serve, tour and have fun! Applications available soon. For more information, contact Peter Abajian (310) 400-9061.

Wake up to the sweet smell of soorj and learn about different regions in Armenia as we give you a quick dive into life throughout the country. Pari Louys with Paros is your connection to the motherland, where we will learn, grow, and better Armenia, together!

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon.

the number of homes thus far that will be purchased, renovated, and given to refugee families from Artsakh

By Narine

Paros Blog

November 22, 2023

Update on Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

Dear friends and supporters,

Our team has accomplished much in a relatively short time and I would like to provide everyone with another short update as to our activities and approach to help our fellow Armenians, who are now refugees in Armenia, that have been ethnically cleansed from Artsakh.

During my recent trip to Armenia, our team visited the communities of Kapan and Kajaran in the South, Gyumri, Berd, Vardenis and Meds Masrik (East and North East of Lake Sevan). In each of these communities, we visited with local leaders and refugee families to discuss both short-term and long-term needs. From these visits and meetings, we determined to work on both short-term humanitarian assistance and long-term, permanent housing, both with the support of partners and donors.

Many people have asked what they can do to help. Honestly, at this moment in our nation’s history, our major focus must be on resettling our Artsakh families as quickly as possible. If we fail in this mission, I would expect a mass exodus to other countries come spring. Please know that our team in Armenia has the capacity to expand our permanent housing effort for our Artsakh families as funds are raised. A permanent home for a family costs approximately $30,000. To date, thanks to your generous support, we have raised just over $400,000 for this effort. Thank you to all of you for your support.

As of today, we have completed the following:

1. Firewood for heating and cooking – We completed the distribution of one month’s supply of firewood for heating and cooking to 20 families from Artsakh in the Vardenis community of Meds Masrik. This effort will continue based on need throughout the winter and will be expanded if needed. The area received its first snow of the season yesterday.

2. Winter boots – Thanks to the generosity of Zadur Shoes (a local Made in Armenia company) who generously partnered with Paros to distribute 500 pairs of high-quality winter boots, we have been able to already distribute 200+ pairs and the distribution will be continuing. In addition, thanks to generous support from St. Mary’s Armenian Church Parishioners, winter boots for children have also been ordered and up to 500 additional children will receive winter boots in the coming weeks.

3. Clothing – Clothing distributions are continuing and additional shipments of new clothing from the US have been shipped to Armenia.

4. Permanent Housing – After our assessment of several communities and visits to several vacant homes, our team has begun the purchase process for the first seven homes (three homes in Geghamasar, three homes in Kajaran and one in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur.) Work on renovating these homes will begin as soon as we take possession of these homes. The first two home purchases in Geghamasar are completed and the renovation of them will begin next week. In addition, our team is actively pursuing the identification and purchase of five additional homes within these same communities with the funds we have secured to date.

It is important to note that thanks to the generous partnership of our long-term partner organization and friend, Development Services for Armenia (DSA) also known as the Organization of Humanitarian Services for Armenia, these homes will be equipped with basic appliances as needed. We sincerely appreciate DSA’s friendship and support!

Thank You,
Peter Abajian
Executive Director

By Narine

Press Releases

November 15, 2023

Paros Breaks Ground on Housing, After-School & Vocational Center

Government officials, staff, friends, and supporters all gathered for the official groundbreaking on October 30, 2023, of The Paros Foundation’s new housing, vocational training and children’s center building in Gyumri. Once completed, this new facility will have a significant impact on Gyumri’s housing problem with at least 22 new apartments for domik families. In addition, a second location of the Debi Arach Children’s Center will be located on the building’s first floor, which will provide services for more than 150 children daily. Finally, the Assarian Vocational Training Program and social enterprise consisting of training in the garment-making industry will train and employ an estimated 50 people a year. In all, it is expected that the economic impact of this new facility will top $1 million its first year of operation.

“Today is an exciting day that we have been working towards for the past year. I would like to thank the Municipality of Gyumri for its trust in us by suggesting this project, and to everyone that worked with such dedication in helping to transfer the property to us. Now our work will begin to develop this exciting project.”
Peter Abajian, Executive Director

Following seismic upgrades and the construction of one more story, the facility will house three floors of residential apartments. In addition, space on the first floor will be allocated for a sewing and vocational training center that will be The Paros Foundation’s second social enterprise in Gyumri. The project budget to complete construction on the entire building is estimated to cost $800,000. $300,000 has already been raised towards this important effort. Construction is estimated to take between 15 and 18 months depending on weather conditions.

Learn more and help us raise the remaining $500,000 to complete this project here.

By Narine

Newsletters

November 1, 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – October 2023

To date we have raised about $220,000. Over the past few weeks, Executive Director Peter Abajian, and our entire Armenia team have been on the ground meeting with refugees, assessing their needs, and ultimately coming up with a plan to address their immediate and long-term needs.

Please read more about their findings and how we plan on addressing them here.

Wrestling Competition by ARMHOF
110 kids from 7 different villages and towns in the Tavush region, including participants from Artsakh, attended a wrestling competition, the first one in five years. This is the culmination of months of intramural wrestling support funded through the generosity of ARMHOF via the Paros Foundation including coaches, equipment and training.

Getahovit School Opening
Hovhannes Mardirossian and his wife Anahit visited the Getahovit School to install the plaque marking the completion of work they have led through a matching grant to install a new heating system throughout the school, renovate the school’s chemistry classroom and a new office. The work was done in memory of Hovhannes’ brother, Yessayi Mardirossian. Thank you to the Mardirossian Family for spearheading this project and to all of the donors who made this possible.

KOV Detroit Renovates School
The Knights of Vartan’s Nareg-Shavarashan Lodge of Greater Detroit, USA, has successfully orchestrated the comprehensive renovation of a two-story building at the Knights of Vartan 106th School in Yerevan. This latest round of renovations included the extensive renovation of a smaller building on the school’s campus inclusive of all 13 classrooms across two stories, stairways, and hallways.

Journey Through Armenia
Journey Through Armenia 2023 had a meaningful and productive trip this year! The group was able to visit several Paros project sites as well as implement an excursion with children from the Yerevan Children’s Home and distribute humanitarian aid. Thank you to everyone who joined for this memorable trip!

Artsakh Refugee Crisis
The mass exodus from Artsakh has begun, and the thousands of refugees arriving in Armenia are in need of food, shelter, and basic necessities. Executive Director Peter Abajian breaks down the ongoing crisis in our latest episode of Pari Louys With Paros.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon.

the number of pairs of boots donated and being distributed to refugee families through Paros with the support of Zadur Shoes

By Narine

Paros Blog

October 27, 2023

Update on Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

Our team has visited the communities of Kapan and Kajaran in the South, Gyumri, Berd, Vardenis and Meds Masrik (East and North East of Lake Sevan). In each of these communities, we visited with local leaders and refugee families to discuss both short-term and long-term needs. What we have learned is the following:

1. The Armenian Government (with support from international donor countries like USA, France, etc. (I suspect), is providing each person displaced from Artsakh a one-time 100,000 dram (about $250) stipend. In addition, as these families move from shelters, they are providing six months of housing assistance amounting to $120 per person in the family. We have confirmation that both of these amounts are being paid out.

2. International relief organizations are distributing food, clothing, and cots. In addition, both local and diaspora-based organizations are doing some of the same. Those people remaining in hotels and/or public shelters are being fully taken care of as well.

3. Most of the children of these families are getting enrolled in school and are now attending regularly.

4. Debi Arach Children’s Center has opened its doors to all Artsakh children in Gyumri. Debi Arach Director, Aida Khachatryan, and the center’s psychologist are visiting local schools to present the programs and encourage the Artsakh children to attend and receive the support they need. In addition, we have gathered resumes from teachers from Artsakh that we have met with to try and fill a teaching position we have open at Debi Arach.

5. We have accepted at least three Artsakh women into Hianali Beauty Center’s training program, a social enterprise launched and supported by the Gary & Linda Assarian Vocational Training Program. We are also actively trying to hire one hairdresser and a cosmetologist.

Given the reality on the ground in these communities, our short-term plan for humanitarian assistance at this moment is three-fold:

1. Firewood For Heating And Cooking – In the communities of Gyumri and especially Vardenis/Meds Masrik, winter is fierce. The head of the local community urged us to help with firewood. As of today, we have supplied 20 families with one month’s supply of firewood. This will continue based on funding and need.

2. Winter Boots – Most of the families we met with in Gyumri and Vardenis/Meds Masrik told us they only brought essentials and most did not bring or even have appropriate winter clothing. Zadur Shoes, a local Armenian brand, that was started as a partnership with one of our SERVICE Armenia dads and his cousin, are manufacturing and donating 500 pairs of women’s boots. These boots are really excellent quality. We have started the distribution of these boots to women and girls in Gyumri and Vardenis/Meds Masrik. This process is a bit slow as they are size-specific, but we will use Debi Arach as the distribution point in Gyumri and our local contact on the ground in Meds Masrik for the entire Vardenis area. The company is going to also manufacture children’s sizes and we are working to line up donors to help fund winter boots for children in these communities as well.

3. Clothing – We have a variety of new clothing, hats and scarfs and will be distributing these to needy Artsakh families whenever we visit. We have also received a bunch of gently used adult and kid clothing and will be distributing that as well where appropriate (once our team has gone through it all.)

– Long Term Housing Plan –

Our long-term housing plan is absolutely essential to be launched asap. The major problem facing these families is their long-term housing solutions. If they have a place to live and some kind of income, they will stay in Armenia. Otherwise, the outflow from Armenia will continue. Already, we are seeing families from Artsakh applying to leave the country.

We have viewed both homes and buildings in all of the communities we have visited. Our team is already in the process of purchasing three homes in the Vardenis consolidated community village of Geghamasar. This community has fertile land and we are in the process of purchasing now. These homes are generally in good shape, but need renovations prior to them being handed off to families from Artsakh. We are purchasing these homes (all of them have land for a family farm and a barn) for an average of $7,000. The renovation to make these abandoned homes livable including an inside bathroom and heating system will bring the finish price of these homes to about $23,000. This number is approximate and will vary based on the size of the homes. All three of these homes are suitable for 6 to 8 or 9 people. This finished price does not include appliances or furniture. I am hoping we can partner with the local community or other organizations for these items.

The other community in which we are preparing to purchase homes is the Kapan community of Kajaran. This community has homes in an apartment building that need to be completely rebuilt. Our initial estimates saw three homes that we can complete for approximately $24,000 per home including the purchase price (which we are still negotiating). The local community leader is ready to provide each family with a plot of land in the community to farm and is ready to help them find employment also.

In the consolidated community of Berd, we also found three suitable homes, but we will not begin working in this region until we have secured additional funding.

To date we have raised about $220,000. We will purchase, renovate and move as many families into homes as we can raise funds to support. We have already lined up construction crews to begin the renovation work on the homes in Geghamasar. In addition, our team has already begun interviewing families from Artsakh to start the identification process so as soon as the homes are ready, we can move them in.

Ultimately, once we have identified the family and have the home ready, we will follow our established process of gifting them 90% of the home and retaining a 10% ownership in the home for 10 years to ensure they are not tempted to sell it and move out of the country. This model has been very successful in both Gyumri with our domik families and with our 2020 Artsakh families that we have moved into homes.

Any support you would consider making would be greatly appreciated. Our brothers and sisters need us now more than ever. If you have any questions, please ask.

Thank You,
Peter Abajian
Executive Director

By Narine

Newsletters

September 30, 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – September 2023

Tens of thousands of Armenians from Artsakh have been driven from their homes and have arrived in Armenia, while others are trying to leave. This dark chapter of our nation’s history has created a humanitarian crisis. While short-term needs are being addressed, Armenia will need serious support to help permanently shelter this number of people from Artsakh.

Our Artsakh Refugee Support Fund was launched with an initial generous donation from Paros supporters, Dr. & Mrs. Gary & Linda Assarian. Funds will be used for both immediate humanitarian needs for refugees and for permanent housing opportunities. Unfortunately, we are in this situation again. Both Armenia and our brothers and sisters from Artsakh need us. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help support this important effort.

Debi Arach Welcomes Artsakh
The Debi Arach Children’s Center announced that it opened its doors to accept any children from Artsakh who have relocated to Gyumri and will benefit from their services. We are incredibly thankful to our Debi Arach community for opening their doors and hearts to our brothers and sisters from Artsakh.

Aygezard Joins Aygepar Incubator
Welcome to the newest business to join the Aygepar Business Incubator – Aygezard. This sewing enterprise was launched with the help of the Berd Women’s Resource Center Foundation and the Homeland Development Initiative Foundation, with the support of the Eurasia Cooperation Foundation. Aygezard will create jobs for 12 women from Aygepar.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon.

The number of refugees that have fled from Artsakh to Armenia.

By Narine

Paros Blog

September 25, 2023

Contribute To Our Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

Dear Paros Supporters:

At this very moment tens of thousands of Armenians are trying to leave Artsakh in light of the attack and its full takeover by Azerbaijan. Almost 7,000 have arrived into Armenia already and we expect this exodus to continue. It is possible that none of the 120,000 Armenians will remain in Artsakh. While the future is still uncertain, the one thing we know for sure is that Armenia will need serious support to help permanently shelter this number of refugees from Artsakh who are fleeing to Armenia.

Following the 2020 War, our team on the ground effectively helped refugees both during and after the war with humanitarian assistance and ultimately turned our focus to rehoming families into Armenia who lost their homes in Artsakh. This helped repopulate two border communities of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur in Tavush, and Meds Masrik in Geghargunik, and benefited the local population, economy and school. We are now launching a similar effort to quickly identify suitable communities to purchase, renovate and rehome refugees as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, we are in this situation again. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help this important effort.

Thank you,
Peter Abajian, Executive Director

By Narine

Press Releases

September 15, 2023

Hear From the Participants, SERVICE Armenia 2023 Was a Huge Success!

From June 26th to July 15th 2023, a group of young Armenian diasporans participated in our SERVICE Armenia program, engaging in Armenia through volunteer work and service projects. Nineteen participants and two coordinators traveled to Armenia from various regions throughout the United States, including Northern and Southern California, Texas, and Tennessee. During their time in Armenia, their volunteer efforts included taking orphans and disabled youth from Yerevan Children’s Home and Kharpert Home for Special Children to amusement park excursions, working on renovations to the Talin School of Music, teaching kids at the Debi Arach Children’s Center how to play Lacrosse, packing and distributing groceries through our Groceries for Gyumri initiative, and helping clean out one of The Paros Foundation’s new projects- Paros Housing, After-School and Vocational Center.

Please read our two first-hand accounts, one from a participant and one from a coordinator. Participant Nicole Timour is a high school senior from Southern California and 2023 was her first year as a SERVICE Armenia participant. Coordinator Renée Deramerian is a sophomore in college from Southern California and 2023 is her fifth year involved with SERVICE Armenia.

“Although I had previously visited, this trip allowed me to return with the intention of giving back.”

-Nicole Timour

“Living in the diaspora community, there is only so much you can do to give back to your homeland from 7,193 miles away. A month ago, SERVICE Armenia gave me the opportunity to return to Armenia on their three week long volunteering trip. Although I had previously visited, this trip allowed me to return with the intention of giving back. Our main purpose was to contribute and improve Armenia; however, we still toured and saw all the historical sights we had been educated on throughout the trip. The first week we arrived our program coordinator Marina took us to the Erebuni Fortress, Ambert Fortress, and multiple museums that educated us on our ancestors and culture. Looking back, these early trips allowed us volunteers to connect and form close bonds no matter our age differences. The first act of service we completed was handing out bags of groceries in Gyumri. When walking through their city, I noticed scattered shipping containers converted into homes. The families we met still welcomed us into their homes and were extremely thankful for the necessities donated to them. Although a small act of service, every member of the trip felt like their eyes were opened to the true extent of the Gyumri housing crisis. What was the most touching was how selfless each family truly was, handing us volunteers chocolates and fruits as a token of their appreciation.

As the trip continued our agenda began to fill up. We renovated classrooms at Talin Music School, taught students from the Debi Arach Children’s Center how to play lacrosse, spent time with the Kharpert Home for Special Children, and participated in many more acts of service. Finally, traveling with SERVICE Armenia allowed me to not only connect with Armenians from all over the world, but also create a second family I will never forget. Being with individuals instilled with the same values and purpose as I hold allowed us all to truly connect and make the experience a lot more meaningful. When first embarking on this trip, I thought I would only be giving back a small percentage to my community; I hope traveling to Armenia with the purpose of service showed the citizens of Armenia that the Armenian diaspora holds an unbreakable bond with them.”
-Nicole Timour

“There was not a day on the trip that didn’t go by with laughter and positive energy. And the days we worked the hardest, we had the most fun.”

-Renée Deramerian

“2018 was the first year I visited Armenia with my family. Of course, my brother and I would hear stories of it growing up but we never actually visited and got to experience it ourselves. My parents planned a three week-long trip, two and a half of those weeks consisting of my mom and dad dragging a then fifteen and twelve year old all over Armenia. Initially, the thought of a trip that long sounded like overkill, but as soon as we began touring the country, the stories we were told did not come close to describing the beauty of it all. Intricate monasteries built thousands of years ago, beautiful nature, and people equally as beautiful in spirit and warmth. Towards the end of the trip, my parents had planned for us to broaden our horizons by joining the Paros Foundation for a couple of days. In those two final days we helped renovate Taline Music School and packed groceries for locals in Gyumri living in less-than-ideal housing situations as part of the Groceries for Gyumri project. If you ask my brother and I today what we remembered from that first trip in 2018, we could only tell you stories of the last two days we were there in vivid detail and with smiles on our faces and fondness in our hearts.

Since then, we have gone back to Armenia every year and every year we have gone back with The Paros Foundation in some capacity. In 2019 and 2022, we went as “honorary participants”, meaning we did everything but stay with the program in the SERVICE house.

2020 of course was a hard year for everyone, both in terms of COVID and the political tensions that led to war in Armenia. We did not go back that year. The following year, I went back as an official participant and truly felt as though I was a part of the group as I had wanted to be for so long. The experience was unique in itself. To add to it, my father had other aspirations for his trip. He took charge of a Paros’ medical mission called MedAid Armenia in which he provides checkups to kids in different parts of the country and we all tagged along, adding yet again ANOTHER layer of depth to the experience and making it all the more fulfilling.

In 2023, my brother joined as a participant and I joined as a coordinator, meaning I was in charge of watching the participants when we were not participating in a tour or a service day. This year, it was different. My brother and I had urged our friends to join the program and join they did. There were twenty-one kids (including the two coordinators) which was more than I had ever seen participate in the program. I was intimidated by the number initially, but as time went on… I was pleasantly surprised. There was not a day on the trip that didn’t go by with laughter and positive energy. And the days we worked the hardest, we had the most fun. We celebrated birthdays, went to soccer games, went to amusement parks, laughed, cried… words cannot describe how much fun we had together. I plan on going back again next year with the program.

After all of that, I should be able to say that I am an expert of the experience, but that would not even begin to be true because each year is so wildly different from the years before. The city grows, the people change, and you learn to see everything in a new way that is gratifying in the deepest regard of the word. I cannot recommend it enough. See you next year!”

-Renée Deramerian

By Narine

Newsletters

August 31, 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – August 2023

For 263 days the Azerbaijan Government has illegally blockaded 120,000 men, women and children who call Artsakh their home. This illegal action has led to widespread malnutrition, economic disaster and even most recently death. We cannot allow this attack on Armenians and Christians to go unchecked.

Please take a moment to contact the President, your elected officials and/or the media to urge them to pressure Azerbaijan to end this illegal and inhuman blockade before it is too late.

Knights of Vartan School #106
School 106 in Nor Nork over the last several years has received major upgrades thanks to the Knights of Vartan. Work has included the renovation of the school’s gym, work on its’ auditorium and the renovation of several classrooms and bathrooms for students on the first and second floors of the school. Most recently our team completed the renovations to the hallway on the first floor. If you are in the neighborhood, be sure to visit!

Nor Geghi Kindergarten
The work on replacing the roof at the Nor Geghi Kindergarten was completed earlier this month thanks to the continued support of the Nor Keghi Association based in Michigan. It is noteworthy that the local community also made a significant financial contribution to this work to help ensure it was completed this year prior to the onset of winter.

Aquaponics On The Border
Earlier this summer, we cut the ribbon and began production in the newly built ponics system in the village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur. This month, the first of our specialty tomatoes were sold in the local Berd marketplace. While it was a small amount, it marks another step in the cycle of this important project: Education, Production, Sales, and Community Reinvestment. We look forward to the continued success of our ponics greenhouse and all that are involved.

Visit Armenia with Paros in October!
Space is still available to join our Journey Through Armenia trip October 20 to November 1. Experience the best of Armenia, visit Paros projects, and help through service work. This ten day itinerary will take you to some of the best tourist sites, restaurants and project sites in Armenia. Please call Peter Abajian at (310) 400-9061 for more information and to reserve your space. Register Here

Debi Arach Student Gets Admitted To College
Another student from Debi Arach will be attending University! Larisa Grigoryan has attended Debi Arach since 2017. She thrived in her academic studies and enjoyed the extracurricular actives as well. She was specifically drawn to English and Math, and this year was admitted to the Department of Mathematics at Shirak State University. She now also volunteers at the center to help others like herself. Congratulations Larissa!

Thank You To Our Birthright Volunteer!
Special thanks to Annie Dilsizian who has been volunteering with us in Vanadzor this past summer. She has been participating in Birthright Armenia and working part time for Paros in Vanadzor. During her tenure, Annie helped with marketing efforts for Paros at the Vanadzor Museum of Fine Arts and Musical Armenia project sites. Thank you Annie!

The Growth of Ponics in Armenia
How sustainable is farming in Armenia? Remote villages with a lack of access to resources like water or the correct landscape may have difficulty producing crops. That is where systems like ponics come in. Join us as we discover the magic of this growing system that has proven effective in Armenia with MAquaponics co-founder, Kirk Wallace.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon.

The number of days the Azerbaijan Government has illegally blockaded 120,000 people in Artsakh

By Narine

Newsletters

July 31, 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – July 2023

Nor Ughi Gym Opening
On July 13, students, parents, and staff at the Nor Ughi Village School welcomed local and regional officials and donors and staff from The Paros Foundation to the gala ribbon cutting of the school’s new gym. John and June Mangassarian (RI-USA) spearheaded the fundraising for this project, matching all contributions to this important project.

Four New Classrooms at Talin Music School
For the last several years, we have worked to expand the music school in the town of Talin and to make significant improvements to the facility. This summer, we improved four more classrooms for the students studying there. An additional $30,000 is needed to complete this project. Please consider contributing to this important project to help us complete this work. Learn more and contribute here.

9th Artsakh Family Receives A New Home
Arsen Mnatsakanyan, his wife Narine and their four children received a new home in the community of Meds Masrik through the collective efforts of The Paros Foundation and Focus on Children Now. The family, having lost their home during the 2020 war, are now able to begin putting down roots in this village located in Armenia’s Vardenis area. This is the 9th Artsakh family given a home in the community of Meds Masrik.

Work Begins to Clean Out Gyumri Building
SERVICE Armenia participants spent a day this month working at The Paros Foundation’s new building in Gyumri cleaning out trash and preparing for construction to begin. Years of neglect have left the building full of trash and the property overgrown with weeds and brush. More than a truckload of trash and brush was removed from the building! Thank you SERVICE Armenia participants for a job well done!

SERVICE Armenia 2023 Wraps Another Successful Trip
For three weeks 19 young people from throughout the United States created meaningful memories and left their mark on Armenia through The Paros Foundation’s SERVICE Armenia 2023 program. The group based in Yerevan traveled throughout the country and completed service projects in Payuyr Sevak (working at the school and kindergarten), Talin (helping continue the renovation at the music school), Gyumri (Paros Housing, After-School & Vocational Center and at the Debi Arach Children’s Center) and in Yerevan (orphan excursions for children at Nork and Kharpert residential facilities.) More than 150 young people have participated in this life-changing program which connects diasporan youth to the homeland. To express interest in next summer’s program (which is open to young people ages 17 to 22) please email us at info@parosfoundation.org.

Visit Armenia with Paros in October!
Sign up now for The Paros Foundation’s Journey to Armenia trip October 20 to November 1. Experience the best of Armenia, visit Paros projects and help through service work. This ten day itinerary will take you to some of the best tourist sites, restaurants and project sites in Armenia. Please call Peter Abajian at (310) 400-9061 for more information and to reserve your space. Register Here

Med-Aid Armenia 2023 Wrapped
Med-Aid 2023 has officially wrapped! Our group spent their time in Armenia conducting health screenings on children in Yerevan, Gyumri and Paruyr Sevak. Medical professionals and volunteers also worked with their local colleagues in the community of Nor Hachen. We are so thankful for everyone who volunteered their time for this important initiative, and a special thank you to Dr. Krikor Deramerian who led the medical mission.

Ruzan is Working!
A new graduate of the Hianali Beauty Center, a social enterprise launched and supported by the Gary & Linda Assarian Vocational Training Program at Debi Arach, recently was hired to work at the salon. Ruzan is the third student that we have trained and ultimately hired. Of the almost 90 students that have completed their training, more than 75% of them are working in their new field and earning money. Hianali only hires the best of the best in the industry, so we are proud that their own program is contributing to this positive cycle. Congratulations Ruzan!

Hovnanian Family Foundation
Our latest episode of Pari Louys with Paros features Executive Director, Korioun Khatchadourian, from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation. Since its inception in 1986, the foundation has created a ripple effect of positivity with programs like Birthright Armenia, various scholarships, and projects throughout Armenia. Listen using the link in our bio to learn about the impact this organization has made.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon.

The number of SERVICE Armenia Alumni

By Narine

Contacts

This Month at The Paros Foundation – November 2023

Update on Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

Paros Breaks Ground on Housing, After-School & Vocational Center

This Month at The Paros Foundation – October 2023

Update on Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

This Month at The Paros Foundation – September 2023

Contribute To Our Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

Hear From the Participants, SERVICE Armenia 2023 Was a Huge Success!

This Month at The Paros Foundation – August 2023

This Month at The Paros Foundation – July 2023

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Armenia Office

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