Tag: In Progress

September 2, 2020

Nor Geghi Kindergarten Expansion

Description

Nor Geghi is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, located around 22 km north of the capital Yerevan, near the town of Nor Hachen. The village has a population of about 5,000 residents.

Beginning in 2015, several portions of the Nor Geghi kindergarten has been renovated including two restrooms, a large multipurpose room and an additional classroom and sleeping space for a second group of children. Much of this work was completed through the efforts of The Paros Foundation with the support of the Nor Keghi Association of Detroit, MI and those families who descended from the historic village of Keghi.

The village once again has a need to expand the kindergarten’s capacity by adding an addition 30 children. A large space on the second floor has been identified that will accommodate this new group of children. The scope of work will include the proper configuring of the space to accommodate a new classroom, playroom, kitchenette and bathroom. In addition, the kindergarten needs to have its kitchen renovated and its entrance reconfigured. This will work include the installation of new flooring, new electrical, new plumbing and the completion of the heating system. The village administration is ready to assist with labor, furniture and other resources to help realize this important project.

Region

Kotayk

City / Village

Nor Geghi

Start Date

February 2020

End Date

July 2023

Nor Geghi Kindergarten Expansion

Thank you to all our donors, we have met our fundraising goal.

Gallery Images

The current entrance to the kindergarten at Nor Geghi is not practical nor inviting. It will be reconfigured to allow space for the children to change their shoes, hang their coats and receive parents.

Two large rooms will be reconfigured to accommodate a new group of children.

A complete renovation is needed to prepare the new space for the expanded kindergarten group.

A villager works to cover his damaged roof in Aygepar before the rains. Photo credit: Hetq

The Need

The number of young children in the village of Nor Geghi has increased and the existing kindergarten must be expanded to accommodate a new group of children.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, 30 new children will be accepted into the kindergarten, allowing them to receive the benefits of early education. In addition, three new employees will be hired to work at the kindergarten.

Long Term Impact

In the longer term, hundreds of children will benefit from early education. Families will also benefit from having their children accepted into kindergarten.

Sponsors Benefits

Sponsors of this important project will be listed on a plaque installed at the kindergarten, on The Paros Foundation website, and in relevant press related to this important project.

Updates: Images & Information

February 2, 2021

Kitchen, bathrooms, classrooms and hallway were all renovated. The kids are excited to finally be able to use their new space!

July 4, 2023

The new roof at the Nor Geghi Kindergarten was completed thanks to the continued support of the Nor Keghi Association based in Michigan. 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.

October 16, 2024

Construction on the Nor Geghi Kindergarten Gym is underway! This renovation will allow more than 80 students to enjoy and utilize the space for many fun activities.

By vespartech

IMG-87f09efa828b0507a21776e89875e624-V-e1518113275234

May 6, 2020

Purchase a Home 26

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Description

Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, tens of thousands of people were left homeless in the City of Gyumri. Many of these families took refuge in the overseas shipping containers (domiks) that were shipped into Armenia loaded with humanitarian relief supplies, or in condemned buildings. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat. The Armenian government has provided most of the families that lost their homes in the Earthquake with new housing units.

As people moved out of those makeshift housing units, others moved in. The 2,500 or so families that remain are Gyumri’s desolate families, who are not in line to receive a government provided apartment. Many of these families are comprised of single mothers, multiple children and/or the disabled.

This project will identify suitable needy families who can be moved into a new apartment and can demonstrate that they can afford their monthly utilities, etc. This is a sustainable model in that families that have been moved into permanent housing in the past have had a high degree of success maintaining their families and their new homes.

Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

Two months after start date

Purchase a Home 26

Thank you to all our donors, we have met our fundraising goal.

The Need

2,500 families live in the city of Gyumri in temporary, make shift housing. These units are neither safe nor sanitary. These families and their children need a normal apartment in which to live.

Short Term Impact

Immediately a family will be identified and an appropriate apartment purchased for them. The make shift housing unit which they currently occupy will be destroyed.

Long Term Impact

In addition to this family and their improved mental state changing through the fact that they will be living in a normal housing situation, the city of Gyumri itself will improve with the removal of these make shift housing units.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation website.

View More Sponsors

By vespartech

November 2, 2019

Stepanavan School #2 Improvement

Stepanavan St. Gregory The Illuminator School #2 Improvement Project

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Description

The town of Stepanavan is located in Armenia’s northern portion of the Lori Region. More than 10,000 people live in this ancient town. Stepanavan can trace it earliest settlements to the 4th century. Stepanavan was devastated by the 1988 earthquake including losing one of its primary schools. The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church raised the funds to build a new school for the children in Stepanavan. Vartkes Barsam, a philanthropist and active member of the Armenian community of Los Angeles served as project manager and oversaw the construction. The school was opened on 2003 and has served more than 525 children per year since. While the school has been well maintained, it is time to address some of the larger needs of the school starting with the heating system, school windows, bathrooms and to create a kitchen and dining hall. Following these important capital improvements, the balance of the school will receive a cosmetic renovation including new lighting and a fresh coat of paint.

A new boiler room will be built adjacent to the school and two large capacity boilers will be installed to heat new radiators throughout the school (which also have to be installed.) New windows throughout the school will also be installed to improve the efficiency of the overall heating of the school. This phase of work will cost the following:

$6,000 Construction of a new boiler room.
$95,000 Installation of two new boilers, pipes and radiators throughout the three floors of the school.
$44,000 Installation of 540 square meters of new double pain windows throughout the school.

Region

Lori / Լոռի

City / Village

Stepanavan / Ստեփանավան

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

Four months from start date

$227,672 of $325,000 raised

$ Donation Amount:

Make this donation monthly

Personal Info

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First Name *

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Comment

Dedicate this Donation

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Honoree Details

First Name *

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CVC *

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Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

The current gas heating system and old windows is unsafe and inefficient at the Stepanavan School

Peter Abajian, Paros Executive Director visited the school to inspect the conditions and solidify the scope of work to be done.

The old water distribution system throughout the school also needs to be redone.

The bathrooms at the Stepanavan school need to be renovated and modernized.

The Need

School #2 in Stepanavan serves more than 525 children. The school needs a new heating system and new windows to help provide a safe and comfortable environment for the children in which to learn.

Short Term Impact

In the near term, more than 525 children and the school’s staff will enjoy a safer and more comfortable learning environment. The local economy will benefit with locals labor and materials utilized whenever possible.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, thousands of children and staff will benefit from the renovations completed at the school. Because of better heating, the school will better accommodate a variety of after school programming for the children in the colder winter months.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors of this project will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website, on a plaque at the Stepanavan St. Gregory The Illuminator School #2, and in appropriate press related to this important project. Visits can be arranged to Stepanavan for sponsors during their visits to Armenia.

View More Sponsors

Updates: Images & Information

October 18, 2018

Diane Barsam visited the school with Paros Project Manager, Gegham Minasyan to discuss the school's needs and to formalize plans for future assistance.

August 12, 2019

With enough funding available to replace all of the exterior windows, work began on removing and replacing all of the windows.

September 12, 2019

Work on all of the exterior window replacement is complete and minor temporary repairs were made to the walls around the new windows until such time that funding is available for the school's interior remodel. The next effort will be to replace the school's heating system.

November 29, 2022

The school's heating system has been replaced with new radiators, pipes, and boilers throughout the entire 3 story school providing much needed heat during the winter.

July 2, 2023

Today our crew has started renovation on the school's gym roof.

July 15, 2023

Gym roof renovation has finished. The students now have an insulated gym roof to allow them to play comfortably.

August 28, 2023

The multiple bathroom renovations have begun. We can't wait to give the students new and clean restrooms.

October 22, 2023

The first bathroom renovation is finished! We will soon start construction on the next set of bathrooms.

December 13, 2023

All 14 bathroom renovations are complete! With the support of our donors were able to renovate every bathroom at the Stepanavan St. Gregory the Illuminator School #2.

By vespartech

July 12, 2018

Abovyan School #8 Renovation-Phase One

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Description

The town of Abovyan in Armenia’s Kotayk region is often referred to as the northern gateway to Yerevan because of its proximity to city (about 10 miles north.) Abovyan is home to more than 34,500 residents. More than 530 children attend School #8 in Abovyan. The school is in overall poor condition. School administrators do what they can to maintain the facility, but outside assistance is needed to dramatically improve conditions throughout this school.

The school is comprised of seven building, six of which are currently being utilized. All six buildings need new roofs to prevent leakage during the wet and winter months. Most of the school’s windows need to be changed to modern, double-pane windows. The school’s boilers are 12 years old and one of them has ceased to function. The bathrooms all need to be completely renovated and transformed into modern restrooms. The large gym is also in very poor condition and needs a total remodel.

Improvements to this large school will be completed in phases. The Phase One project will include the replacement of the school’s roofing and roof support structure (as needed) over six of the buildings that are in use. Two of the buildings are in very bad condition and will be replaced immediately as soon as funding is available.

Region

Kotayk

City / Village

Abovyan

Start Date

June 2019

$77,840 of $87,000 raised

$ Donation Amount:

Make this donation monthly

Personal Info

Title

First Name *

Last Name *

Is this donation on behalf of a company?

Company Name

Donate from an international address.

Mailing Address *

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Country *

Display Name

Phone Number

Email Address *

Make this an anonymous donation.

Comment

Dedicate this Donation

Yes, please
No, thank you

Dedication Type

Honoree Details

First Name *

Last Name

Credit Card Info

This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

Card Number *

CVC *

Cardholder Name *

Expiration *

Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

The roof over the six buildings of Abovyan School #8 needs to be replaced.

The roof above the bathrooms at Abovyan School #8 have leaked and caused a considerable amount of damage to the interior.

The ceiling above the gym at Abovyan School #8 shows a considerable amount of water damage.

Like most of the other rooms at Abovyan School #8, the auditorium also leaks.

The Need

The roofs over the six buildings that are currently being used at the Abovyan School #8 are leaking and beyond repair. These roofs and much of the support structure beneath must be changed to help create a safe and comfortable environment for the children while they are at school.

Short Term Impact

In the near term, a roofing crew will replace roofs over six of the facilities buildings including new corrugated roofing, gutters, downspouts and wood supporting structure as needed. This will benefit the local economy as both materials and labor will be purchased locally.

Long Term Impact

In the longer term, children will be able to learn in a cleaner, safer environment. In addition, a new roof will help better protect the children and staff and prevent further deterioration of the facility.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors will be listed on The Paros Foundation website, on a plaque installed at the school and in all appropriate press materials related to this project.

View More Sponsors

December 27, 2018

Today our construction crew did a closer inspection of the roofs at the school. Our hope is to have enough funding in place to redo at least two of the building's roofs as soon as weather permits.

June 3, 2019

Our construction team arrived at the school today to begin the demolition of the roof on the first building on campus! Exciting!

July 23, 2019

So happy to announce that our team completed the work on the roof at the first building on campus!

July 10, 2020

Work on the roof over the second classroom building at the school began today thanks to the support of several generous donors.

August 15, 2020

Work on the second classroom building's roof was completed today!

October 15, 2021

The school's main entrance was reroofed a several year's ago through a government supported project. Unfortunately, it was done very poorly and aggressive wind damaged a considerable amount of roofing over the entrance. Thankfully, through the support of generous donors, our crew began the reconstruction of the third building's roof today!

November 16, 2021

Work on the third building's roof was completed today before the weather becomes too moist!

September 4, 2022

Demolition work has begun in the school gym. Once that is completed, the entire gym will be renovated complete with paint, windows, lighting, electrical and equipment.

February 20, 2023

The gym renovations are complete! A grand opening with performances from the students was held in celebration of its completion. Continuing with school renovations, we still need funds to renovate the locker rooms and the teacher's office.

By vespartech

March 28, 2016

Prkutyun Dental Clinic

Apelian Clinic at Prkutyun Center

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Description

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 living in the Shengavit community of Yerevan. The clinic was established in 2005, by the generous efforts of Dr. George Apelian, a former member of Armenian Dentists’ Association of California. Since its establishment, the clinic has rendered dental services to more than 12,000 patients, including children and adults.

Dr. Apelian, who continues to direct the clinic’s functions, hopes to expand the reach of the clinic and its services to nearby communities. Residents living in Armenia’s poor communities commonly overlook dental care and hygiene due to high costs. The Apelian Dental Clinic is in need of additional funding in order to be able to serve more families who are unable to afford dental care and help them prevent a lifetime of serious dental problems in the future. Sponsorship of this project will help raise $17,000 annually in order to help keep the clinic fully operational so that they can continue to provide dental care free of charge. Dr. Apelian has continued his generous pledge to match any funds raised.

Region

Yerevan

City / Village

Yerevan

Start Date

January 2016

End Date

December 2022

$100,138 of $100,000 raised

$ Donation Amount:

Make this donation monthly

Personal Info

Title

First Name *

Last Name *

Is this donation on behalf of a company?

Company Name

Donate from an international address.

Mailing Address *

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Country *

Display Name

Phone Number

Email Address *

Make this an anonymous donation.

Comment

Dedicate this Donation

Yes, please
No, thank you

Dedication Type

Honoree Details

First Name *

Last Name

Credit Card Info

This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

Card Number *

CVC *

Cardholder Name *

Expiration *

Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

Dr. Apelian has generously supported the clinic for more than 12 years.

The Prkutyun Center entrance.

Dental equipment from the United States keeps the clinic operating.

The clinic keeps equipment sanitized to ensure patient health.

This x-ray machine needed to be replaced as it has outlived its useful life.

Low speed and high speed tools need to be replaced.

Patient at Apelian clinic about to get her teeth checked.

Children receiving treatment at Apelian Dental clinic also receive a new toothbrush and toothpaste.

The friendly staff at the Apelian Dental Clinic.

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Dr. Apelian, his family and the staff during a visit at The Apelian Clin

The Need

The Apelian Dental Clinic is in need of additional funding in order to be able to continue its great work and expand its reach to provide more disabled children and families free dental care for the impoverished communities of Yerevan.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, the Apelian Dental Clinic will keep its doors open, pay its employees wages and obtain more dental equipment and supplies needed. In addition, the clinic will welcome patients from other impoverished communities from Yerevan and provide them dental care free of charge.

Long Term Impact

The additional funding will allow the clinic to remain open for four years during which time it will serve more patients and help more individuals prevent serious dental problems in the future with no financial burden.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Apelian Dental Clinic will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website, the Prkutyun Disabled Children and Young People Center NGO website and in all appropriate press related to this important project. In addition, a sponsor plaque will be placed in the clinic. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to the Apelian Dental Clinic when you are in Armenia.

View More Sponsors

Updates: Images & Information

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October 15, 2015

The dental clinic celebrated its 10th anniversary of working to help their patients at the Prkutyun center.

October 17, 2018

Anna Hakobyan, wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, visited the clinic to become acquainted with its work and witness its services.

March 2, 2020

The George Apelian Dental Clinic at the Prkutyun Center is temporarily closed due to Covid-19 following the order of the Prime Minister until further notice.

By vespartech

Contacts

Tag: In Progress

Nor Geghi Kindergarten Expansion

Nor Geghi Kindergarten Expansion

Description

Region

City / Village

Start Date

End Date

Gallery Images

The Need

Short Term Impact

Long Term Impact

Sponsors Benefits

Nor Keghi Association

Dr. & Mrs. Gary & Linda Assarian

Nor Keghi Association

Nor Keghi Association

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph & Theresa Saval

Nor Keghi Association

Dr. & Mrs. Gary & Linda Assarian

Nor Keghi Association

Nor Keghi Association

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph & Theresa Saval

Updates: Images & Information

Purchase a Home 26

Purchase a Home 26

Description

Region

City / Village

Start Date

End Date

The Need

Short Term Impact

Long Term Impact

Sponsors Benefits

Anonymous

Anonymous

Mr. Shahen Hairapetian & Mrs. Arax Mansourian

Mr. & Dr. Willy & Christiane Schaeffler

Anonymous

Anonymous

Mr. Stepan Baghdassarian

Anonymous

Anonymous

Ms. Stacey Solomita

Rossetto Family

Ms. Catherine Frandsen

Anonymous

Anonymous

Mr. Shahen Hairapetian & Mrs. Arax Mansourian

Mr. & Dr. Willy & Christiane Schaeffler

Anonymous

Anonymous

Mr. Stepan Baghdassarian

Anonymous

Anonymous

Ms. Stacey Solomita

Rossetto Family

Ms. Catherine Frandsen

Mr. Dariusch Amini

Anonymous

Anonymous

Employees of Western Drug

Mr. Roupen Dechkounian

Lisa Manoogian & Barry Barsamian

Mr. Henry Gevorkian

Employees of Western Drug

Anonymous

Mr. Gerard Rutteman

Ms. Angeli Pineda

Anonymous

Stepanavan School #2 Improvement

Stepanavan St. Gregory The Illuminator School #2 Improvement Project

Description

Region

City / Village

Start Date

End Date

Honoree Details