Blog Listing – Page 3 – The Paros Foundation

December 17, 2023

Help Establish Preventative Care as a Norm

Help make a difference in
Armenia June 23rd – July 5th!

This summer’s Med-Aid ARMENIA 2024 medical trip will take place from June 23rd to July 5th in Armenia. Participants will work to provide essential healthcare delivery, develop programs in Armenia, and facilitate anyone pursuing interests in the healthcare field. Kaiser pediatrician, Dr. Krikor Deramerian will head the trip.

The trip will include rest, adventure and cultural immersion through visits and tours to several of Armenia’s historic sites.

All levels & backgrounds (physicians, pre-med students, to attending, nursing, and non-medical personnel) are welcome to apply!

Healthcare professionals and their accompanying families will experience visits to several of Armenia’s historic sites and tours. The trip will begin and end with time spent in Armenia’s vibrant capital, Yerevan.

Contact Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation, for more information or to reserve your participation.
Tel: (310) 400-9061 or Email: peter@parosfoundation.org

By Narine

Paros Blog

December 12, 2023

SERVICE Armenia 2024 Application is Now Live!

June 23rd – July 14th, 2024

The Paros Foundation is committed to the principle of service and volunteerism. SERVICE Armenia helps develop the relationship between program participants and Armenia. These three week-long service trips are planned to include service projects, educational excursions and outings, and time for leisure and fun activities. The Paros Foundation staff responsible for this program have a tremendous amount of experience working in Armenia and successfully implementing and overseeing service projects and tours.

Participants aged 17-23 will serve, tour, and play in Armenia. Participant fees are $3,000 per person including a $400 charitable contribution, not including airfare.

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

-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

If you have any questions about our SERVICE Armenia 2024 program please call Peter Abajian, Executive Director at (310) 400-9061 or contact him via email pabajian@gmail.com.

By Narine

Paros Blog

December 8, 2023

Creating a Secure, Stable, & Successful Armenia

When one evaluates a charitable effort, one must consider the organization’s effectiveness among other important criteria. Is the organization making a difference? Are the efforts it’s making on target? Is it reaching its goals?

Paros coordinates with donors, state and local officials and our team of volunteers to develop the best strategy to improve community development, poverty reduction and humanitarian concerns. Our small, but efficient, staff work on the ground to determine the best allocation of resources to help meet our project goals.

The Paros Foundation’s unique model of project-specific philanthropy, 17 years of in-country experience, and its 100% Promise of all funds being directed to projects (not administrative expenses,) makes it the right choice as your charitable partner for your philanthropy in Armenia. Please join our efforts and donate today to help provide a SECURE, STABLE & SUCCESSFUL future for Armenia.

The Aygepar Business Incubator creates local jobs, offers new businesses quality, sanitary space to operate, and creates a sense of economies of scale working with other local start-ups. This all creates a more secure community and more secure border.

Learn more and consider contributing so we can continue building a secure and prosperous form of economy for this region here.

The Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri was launched in 2015 to help add stability in the lives of children and their families devastated by generational poverty. Since its launch, this program has been working to raise their standards of living through holistic programs aimed at changing these children’s lives for the better. High-quality after-school education including homework assistance, daily hot meals, counseling, vocational training, and medical and humanitarian assistance all add needed stability in the development of these children’s futures. Learn more here.

Since our High Tech Education project was launched last year more than 20 schools, colleges, and children’s centers have begun instruction on the proper use, flight, repair, and modification of quadcopter drones. This educational experience encompasses many aspects that broaden student’s perspectives on not only high-tech career possibilities but also the value of technology in many different careers including agriculture and construction. Learn more about the impact these programs are making here.

By Narine

Newsletters

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