Donations to The Paros Foundation Projects for Prosperity are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To sponsor a project through The Paros Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 organization (Tax ID 20-5094630), or learn more about specific projects in need of funding, please contact us using the information below.
Aparan is a town in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, about 50 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan. The town has a population of about 6,500 people.
Founded in 1986, the Secondary School 2 after Hambardzum Voskanyan underwent a partial remodel in 2000 and today serves 560 students with the support of 70 dedicated teachers and staff. Earlier this year, strong winds damaged the school’s roof, which will soon be renovated with government support. Over the years, the school has proudly produced athletes who have competed in the Olympics and earned championship titles across Europe and around the world. Beyond sports, students have access to a variety of clubs and extracurricular programs, including a renowned dance ensemble that represents the school’s commitment to art and culture.
To continue offering these opportunities and to strengthen its cultural programs, the school now requires a full renovation of its auditorium. This project will upgrade the stage, seating, lighting, paint, and floors, creating a vibrant and inspiring space for performances, events, and student activities.
The renovation is needed to provide students with a safe, modern, and fully equipped space for performances, gatherings, and cultural events. Updating the auditorium will ensure the school can continue fostering creativity, community, and student growth for years to come.
Short Term Impact
In the short term the school auditorium will be renovated including new flooring, electrical fixtures, paint, a new stage and new auditorium chairs. Supplies will be purchased locally and local labor will be used whenever possible, thus providing them with temporary jobs.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, the completion of this project will provide a proper facility for current and future students and town residents to hold graduation ceremonies, musical recitals, concerts, seminars and other functions for the entire town.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsorship of the Aparan School Auditorium renovation will be recognized on a plaque in the auditorium, on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to the auditorium in the town of Aparan when you are in Armenia.
“Sari Gat” Dairy & Cheese Company plays an important role in the border town of Berd and the surrounding villages of Armenia’s Tavush Region. As a thriving small business, “Sari Gat” produces a variety of high-quality cheeses and dairy products, distributing them throughout the region. More than just a business, “Sari Gat” is a force for good—purchasing milk from local farmers at fair or above-market prices, generating employment, and stimulating economic growth in the community.
Now, “Sari Gat” is preparing to take an exciting step forward. To meet increasing demand and support even more local farmers, the company plans to expand its production capacity by constructing a large refrigerated storage room, 650 square feet in size. This essential addition will enable “Sari Gat” to process and store more dairy products, directly benefiting dozens of farming families and creating new job opportunities in the region.
We invite you to join us in supporting this meaningful project. Your contribution will help build the new refrigeration facility, empowering “Sari Gat” to continue uplifting Berd’s economy and strengthening the livelihoods of families across the Tavush Region. Together, we can make a lasting impact—one that nourishes both people and community.
“Sari Gat” Dairy & Cheese Company needs a new refrigerated storage room to expand its production capacity. This project will enable the company to purchase more milk, support additional farming families, and create new jobs in the community.
Short Term Impact
As funding becomes available, a new refrigerator room will be build as an add-on to the current building “Sari Gat” currently runs its production out of. A local construction crew will be employed to complete the build.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, this upgrade will directly benefit local farmers and boost economic opportunities in Berd and the surrounding villages. Local farmers will have additional places to sell their milk to.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. A visit to the “Sari Gat” factory and Berd and its surrounding communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.
Sari Gat in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur was able to expand its production and distribution, grow its staff, and purchase more local milk from nearby dairy farmers thanks to the generous support of Jean-Marie & Lori Atamian. This investment created a meaningful economic boost for the village, supporting local families and strengthening the community’s long-term sustainability. Thank you to the Atamian Family for their donation!
The Paros Foundation launched the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia on April 15, 2015 with the help of generous donors. The center, which provides 185 children each week the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support, has since been a source of positivity in this city. The residents of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city have endured very devastating realities since the tragic 1988 Spitak Earthquake. More than 100,000 residents were left homeless, and plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty for years to come. In turn, the fate of children in Gyumri has also been affected. Dealing with the difficulty of finding means to feed and care for their families, many parents are unable to provide their children with the proper guidance, supervision, educational aid and the financial resources for them to excel in school and have successful futures. The Debi Arach Children’s Center, which in Armenian means “moving forward,” helps these socially vulnerable children through a holistic approach providing them with both humanitarian and educational support. The center provides counseling and group therapy with a psychologist on staff, homework help and tutoring for almost every subject the children learn in school including English, Math, Art/Design, and Computer classes. Additionally, they are served a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they would otherwise not have. Furthermore, the Center addresses a very important hygienic need by providing the children in attendance with supervised bathing facilities. The goal is to help hundreds of children develop a vision for a successful future, and to give them the skills they need to reach these goals. This project is impacting the lives of hundreds of socially vulnerable children by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.
To date, the center has already had several important successes. At least nine children have been taken out of boarding schools, attend our center and now live back at home with their families. Many of the children who were receiving poor grades in school are now achieving top scores. The children have become socially well adjusted and much more healthier than before with the continued consumption of multi-vitamins and a daily well-balanced meal. Staff trainings take place with an academic counsel of professionals from the United States and Armenia to ensure that the children are receiving the best care, treatment and methods for their development.
The center is working on funding year ten and raising additional funds in order to develop and add to the programs and classes offered with the ability to hire more educators, and get more supplies, and equipment. Funds will also be used to supplement daily activities, hold forums for guest speakers and provide educational and career planning opportunities. $92,000 is needed to cover operating costs for the Center. In January of 2017, Debi Arach successfully launched its first program within its Vocational Training Center, teaching children computer programming, 3d printing and robotics curriculum. The goal of this newest component is to provide these children with marketable job skills in order to help them work themselves out of poverty. In 2019, with the long term commitment by Dr. & Mrs. Gary and Linda Assarian (MI) the vocational training program was renamed the Assarian Vocational Training Program.
Region
Shirak / Շիրակ
City / Village
Gyumri / Գյումրի
Start Date
April 2026
End Date
March 2027
The Need
Thousands of children in Gyumri are living in extreme poverty, with no hope for a decent future. These socially vulnerable children are in need of a safe and enriching environment where they can receive additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support giving them a chance to break their cycle of poverty. The children’s center will continue to provide these children with the opportunity to attend afterschool and summer school programs providing them with the additional skills necessary for a successful future. Additionally, these children suffer from malnutrition and related illnesses due to a lack of well-balanced meals. The center will continue to provide each child with a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they need. Furthermore, many families were forced to take refuge in overseas shipping containers (domiks), or in condemned buildings after the devastating 1988 Spitak Earthquake or due to their poor socioeconomic status. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat to take showers. The Center will address this very important hygienic need by continuing to provide the children in attendance with supervised new bathing facilities.
Short Term Impact
The short-term 185 children will receive immediate support and guidance to help them succeed for the second year. The Center will continue offer nutritious meals, bathing facilities, counseling opportunities, homework aid and tutoring and core classes including English, Computer, Art/Design, and Math.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, with the success of the Center’s current offerings, additional classes and programs will be added and attendance will rise. The number of children growing up in poverty in the future will decrease as the number of children successfully graduating from our program and continuing onto college or successful vocations increases. The number of “social orphans” and children temporarily residing in boarding schools in Gyumri will be reduced as parents become increasingly able to keep their children at home given the humanitarian support they receive at the center. Through ongoing employment opportunities created, several families will continue to receive a fair wage, hence improving Gyumri’s economy.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to sponsor the operating cost for 2025 of the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri will be recognized with a plaque at the Center and on the Center’s website and in their printed materials. Your name will also be listed as a sponsor on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will proudly arrange a visit to the new Center when you are in Armenia.
At the Debi Arach Children’s Center, students are eager to learn, explore, and grow, but outdated computers—now over a decade old—limit their ability to fully engage in today’s digital world. Technology plays a vital role in modern education, and with access to updated tools, these children will be better equipped to develop new skills, express their creativity, and build a stronger foundation for their future. Through this effort, we will replace 20 computers—each equipped with a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and essential software—with each complete workstation costing $1,000.
July 9, 2026
SERVICE Armenia 2026 participants spent one of their service days distributing shoes at Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri.
Access to computers and printers remains limited in many small towns and villages across Armenia. Providing students with these tools equips them with essential digital skills, enabling them to complete homework more efficiently and connect with opportunities around the world. However, due to the high cost of equipment, many schools, children’s centers, libraries and cultural institutions are unable to offer this vital access to their residents.
The Vardenis Municipality in the Gegharkunik Region has reached out to us with an important request. The municipality serves the town of Vardenis and surrounding 34 villages. The region is home to over 20 educational institutions including schools, kindergartens, music schools, libraries and cultural centers. Due to high costs they are unable to obtain the tech needed to serve these institutions and the residents that attend them.
We hope to be able to raise the funds needed to provide the Vardenis Municipality 24 computers and 12 printers. Donations of new computers and printers are also welcomed.
Region
Gegharkunik
City / Village
Vardenis & Surrounding Villages
Start Date
Immediately
End Date
Two Months as Start
The Need
Unfortunately, the high cost of computers prevents many schools, children’s centers, and cultural institutions from being able to provide residents with these essential tools.
Short Term Impact
24 computer and 12 printers will be obtained and distributed to the educational and cultural institutions throughout the Vardenis Municipality.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, this project has the potential to positively impact thousands of residents by allowing them to access the services offered by these institutions.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.
Nor Ughi Village is located in Armenia’s Ararat Region and is home to the Vedi Alcohol Company. Almost 2,000 people call Nor Ughi and neighboring Ginevet Village their home. Many in these villages are employed at Vedi Alcohol factory or are engaged in agricultural activities.
170 students attend the village school, including 10 displaced students from Artsakh. The students are from both the neighboring villages of Ginevet and Nor Ughi. Recently, the school gym was renovated, and an outdoor soccer field was constructed through the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. John & June Mangassarian from Rhode Island and they want to continue positively impacting Nor Ughi.
Next of the list of priorities is the reconstruction of a science lab that will serve as the laboratory for the school’s physics, chemistry and biology classes. This project will consist of the renovation of two rooms including a large classroom that will serve as the lab, and a smaller room that will serve as the adjacent storage area. The scope of work will include the complete renovation of the room’s flooring, walls, electrical & lighting, ventilation and plumbing including the installation of fresh water and sewer lines. Once the renovation is completed, the Armenian Government will be providing laboratory furniture and equipment to the school.
Two separate entities have generously agreed to match all donations. The Rafaelian/Caruolo family will be matching all donations to honor Ralph and Lucy Rafaelian, and John and June Mangassarian will also match all contributions. Therefore, for every $1, we move $3 toward our goal!
Currently, the Nor Ughi School does not have sufficient facilities nor equipment for students to study physics, biology or chemistry effectively.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, students at the Nor Ughi School will receive a newly renovated science lab and necessary furniture and equipment to more effectively study.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, students in this community will be better equipped to engage in studies of the higher education fields of physics, chemistry and biology, thus being better prepared for the future.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.
Now with school out, our crew has begun the work to renovate the school’s science lab and storage rooms.
July 25, 2025
Thanks to the successful fundraising efforts of John and June Mangassarian and the generosity of their family and friends, this project is being expanded to include the reconstruction of the school’s teacher’s lounge and the principal’s office. In addition, school supplies for the displaced children from Artsakh who now attend the school will be purchased and provided for the upcoming school year. Finally, a critical shortage of books for the school’s library will also be addressed as part of this expanded project with the assistance of the Armenian Educational Foundation.
November 7, 2025
The school science laboratory renovation has now been completed. With the assistance of the government, essential laboratory equipment has been provided. Classes have officially begun, and students are now actively attending laboratory classes and utilizing the new instruments as part of their science education.
Narine Atamian and her Fiancé, Tim Schade are asking their family and friends to support the expansion and renovation of a home for a family in a remote village of Armenia. Narine, and the Atamian family have a longtime connection to this village and wish to continue their support to celebrate Narine and Tim’s upcoming wedding.
Garnik H. and his wife have four children. The family of six lives together with Garnik’s mother in the village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur.
Currently Garnik’s home needs a new roof, has no indoor plumbing and has a great need for an additional bedroom and kitchen. While the home’s living space has been modestly renovated over the years, the majority of the house needs a complete renovation. Garnik is a hardworking member of the Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur community. He is engaged in agricultural activities to sustain his family including maintaining several pigs and running a small family farm. Garnik and his family would be grateful if we could replace the leaking roof on his home along with completing renovation on the unfinished rooms in his home and adding a bathroom. This would help seal his home from the cold winter weather and rain and allow his children to live in a safer, sanitary and more comfortable environment.
Improving conditions for people to live in communities along the border with Azerbaijan is important. Many of these residents work as border guards, protecting our borders. Helping villagers with home improvements is vital to help create a vibrant border community. Garnik’s family is large and the two unfinished rooms will be completed allowing for an additional bedroom and proper kitchen. In addition, a bathroom addition will be added to the home to allow for proper sanitary condition for his large family. A new roof over his home is also needed.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, a local window company will be contracted with to manufacture the windows in the unfinished rooms. Roofing materials will also be purchased locally, thus positively impacting the local economy. Local construction teams will be hired to do the reconstruction and renovation work.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, homes in these communities will be improved beyond their previous condition. In addition, making significant improvements to villager’s homes will improve villager’s attitudes and moral, which is equally as important as their living conditions.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.
Renovations to Garnik H’s home are finished! The family will now be able to enjoy a clean, safe, and comfortable home.
June 22, 2026
Work is now underway on the remaining portions of Garnik H.’s house. Renovations are continuing as we move forward with improvements to the living room.
The Paros Foundation launched the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia on April 15, 2015 with the help of generous donors. The center, which provides 185 children each week the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support, has since been a source of positivity in this city. The residents of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city have endured very devastating realities since the tragic 1988 Spitak Earthquake. More than 100,000 residents were left homeless, and plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty for years to come. In turn, the fate of children in Gyumri has also been affected. Dealing with the difficulty of finding means to feed and care for their families, many parents are unable to provide their children with the proper guidance, supervision, educational aid and the financial resources for them to excel in school and have successful futures. The Debi Arach Children’s Center, which in Armenian means “moving forward,” helps these socially vulnerable children through a holistic approach providing them with both humanitarian and educational support. The center provides counseling and group therapy with a psychologist on staff, homework help and tutoring for almost every subject the children learn in school including English, Math, Art/Design, and Computer classes. Additionally, they are served a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they would otherwise not have. Furthermore, the Center addresses a very important hygienic need by providing the children in attendance with supervised bathing facilities. The goal is to help hundreds of children develop a vision for a successful future, and to give them the skills they need to reach these goals. This project is impacting the lives of hundreds of socially vulnerable children by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.
To date, the center has already had several important successes. At least nine children have been taken out of boarding schools, attend our center and now live back at home with their families. Many of the children who were receiving poor grades in school are now achieving top scores. The children have become socially well adjusted and much more healthier than before with the continued consumption of multi-vitamins and a daily well-balanced meal. Staff trainings take place with an academic counsel of professionals from the United States and Armenia to ensure that the children are receiving the best care, treatment and methods for their development.
The center is working on funding year ten and raising additional funds in order to develop and add to the programs and classes offered with the ability to hire more educators, and get more supplies, and equipment. Funds will also be used to supplement daily activities, hold forums for guest speakers and provide educational and career planning opportunities. $92,000 is needed to cover operating costs for the Center. In January of 2017, Debi Arach successfully launched its first program within its Vocational Training Center, teaching children computer programming, 3d printing and robotics curriculum. The goal of this newest component is to provide these children with marketable job skills in order to help them work themselves out of poverty. In 2019, with the long term commitment by Dr. & Mrs. Gary and Linda Assarian (MI) the vocational training program was renamed the Assarian Vocational Training Program.
Region
Shirak / Շիրակ
City / Village
Gyumri / Գյումրի
Start Date
April 2025
End Date
March 2026
The Need
Thousands of children in Gyumri are living in extreme poverty, with no hope for a decent future. These socially vulnerable children are in need of a safe and enriching environment where they can receive additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support giving them a chance to break their cycle of poverty. The children’s center will continue to provide these children with the opportunity to attend afterschool and summer school programs providing them with the additional skills necessary for a successful future. Additionally, these children suffer from malnutrition and related illnesses due to a lack of well-balanced meals. The center will continue to provide each child with a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they need. Furthermore, many families were forced to take refuge in overseas shipping containers (domiks), or in condemned buildings after the devastating 1988 Spitak Earthquake or due to their poor socioeconomic status. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat to take showers. The Center will address this very important hygienic need by continuing to provide the children in attendance with supervised new bathing facilities.
Short Term Impact
The short-term 185 children will receive immediate support and guidance to help them succeed for the second year. The Center will continue offer nutritious meals, bathing facilities, counseling opportunities, homework aid and tutoring and core classes including English, Computer, Art/Design, and Math.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, with the success of the Center’s current offerings, additional classes and programs will be added and attendance will rise. The number of children growing up in poverty in the future will decrease as the number of children successfully graduating from our program and continuing onto college or successful vocations increases. The number of “social orphans” and children temporarily residing in boarding schools in Gyumri will be reduced as parents become increasingly able to keep their children at home given the humanitarian support they receive at the center. Through ongoing employment opportunities created, several families will continue to receive a fair wage, hence improving Gyumri’s economy.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to sponsor the operating cost for 2025 of the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri will be recognized with a plaque at the Center and on the Center’s website and in their printed materials. Your name will also be listed as a sponsor on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will proudly arrange a visit to the new Center when you are in Armenia.
Due to an increase of children attending the center, Debi Arach is in need of an additional $4,500 to obtain six new computers to add to their computer lab.
July 30, 2025
Today SERVICE Armenia 2025 visited Debi Arach spending time with the children and distributing backpacks.
The Ghoghanj Children’s Center located in the Kentron of Yerevan provides afterschool and summer school programs for approximately 85 children every month. Children who attend the Center are loosely defined as “at risk.” These children typically come from very poor households, often times with a single head of household, who cannot pay for such assistance. The goal of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the necessary academic, psychological and social support to ensure that the children attending mature to well adjusted, successful, young adults.
In order to further impact more “at-risk” children, the Center has identified a need for this model to be replicated and offered to other communities in Armenia. Through the generous support of the Dadourian Foundation, a second center for “at-risk” children was opened in 2014 in the Nor Nork neighborhood of Yerevan to provide support to 85 additional children annually. The new center has provided students the same core classes daily (English, Russian, Computer, Design, Painting, Theater and Dance) as the Ghoghanj Children’s Center – Kentron. The goal of this project is to broaden the services offered to socially vulnerable children and families in other communities and provide them with the proper support and guidance needed to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults.
Amount will include rent, utilities, teacher salaries, maintenance and additional improvements, and supplies.
Region
Yerevan / Երևան
City / Village
Nor Nork / Նոր Նորք
Start Date
September 2025
End Date
August 2026
The Need
Children living in the community of Nor Nork in Yerevan are in need of additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support. A second center for these kids has been opened and needs financial support in order to cover operational costs for the following school year 2025-2026.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, sponsorship of this project will help continue to employ teachers, and provide 85 children in the Nor Nork neighborhood of Yerevan with their needed tutoring and guidance.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, this project has the potential of impacting the lives of 85-100 at-risk students by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to fund the operational costs for the 2025-2026 school year for Ghoghanj-Nor Nork will be recognized with a plaque at the Center and on the Center’s website and in their printed materials. Your name will also be listed as a sponsor on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to the center when you are in Armenia.
Nourishing Armenia aims to create a lasting impact on the health and well-being of children and families in Armenia.
Armenia stands at a crossroads of opportunity and need. Rates of childhood malnutrition and obesity are both rising. Many families face limited access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods due to economic barriers or lack of agricultural infrastructure. At the same time, nutrition education and clinical dietetics remain largely absent from the country’s educational and healthcare systems.
Food insecurity and poor nutrition fuel chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and anemia — all of which threaten the nation’s long-term wellbeing. Without intervention, these patterns will continue to weaken families, communities, and the economy.
But Armenia’s potential is immense. The country has a strong agricultural heritage, a growing youth population, and a deep sense of community — the perfect foundation for a national movement in food literacy and health. To build a healthier future requires action on multiple fronts: schools, farms, universities, and the health system.
Nourishing Armenia brings together education, agriculture, and healthcare to create lasting, community-led change. We aim to build a culture where every child understands what healthy food means, every healthcare provider can prescribe nutrition as part of healing, and every school can feed both minds and bodies.
In the short time since Nourishing Armenia’s launch in the spring of 2025, several successes have already been realized including:
The successful development and launch of the Nourishing Armenia Summer curriculum and activity schedule for 180 at the Debi Arach Children’s Center.
The construction and launch of a greenhouse, serving as a living classroom at the Debi Arach Children’s Center.
The successful development and launch of the Nourishing Armenia curriculum for the 25/26 academic year at the Debi Arach Children’s Center.
This effort has been met with tremendous enthusiasm by the children at the Center and prove that nutrition has a welcomed place in a child’s education if presented correctly. Our work and future plans are in consultation with both the Ministries of Health and Education, and tie into their goals of promoting nutrition and healthy eating as a tool in the fight against chronic diseases. Our next phase includes developing and implementing the following programs:
Nourishing Armenia at Debi Arach. For $150 we can feed, educate and engage students at the Center for an entire year! This amount includes nutritious daily meals, cooking workshops and mentorship.
Hamov Hub Clubs as extracurricular activities as a pilot project in 10 schools throughout Armenia serving 15 students per club.
Hamov Hub cooking show at Debi Arach engaging 180 students in designing, filming and posting healthy cooking recipes via YouTube to educate children everywhere.
Sustainable Food Systems through the construction of additional greenhouses and chicken coops in appropriate village settings.
Undergraduate and graduate university programs in Clinical Dietetics to train future nutrition leaders including dietitians, clinical nutritionists, educators and public health specialists.
CME courses for doctors and nurses in coordination with the Armenian National Institutes of Health, which will provide healthcare workers valuable tools on how to incorporate nutrition into healthcare.
Funding is immediately needed to continue supporting Nourishing Armenia’s programming. Please consider supporting the following:
$150 feeds one child for a full year at Debi Arach’s after-school program.
$2,500 supports one Hamov Hub Club including supplies, ingredients and educator trainings.
$5,000 supports the startup trainings and set creation of Hamov Hub YouTube cooking show at Debi Arach
$7,500 establishes a chicken coop at the community living center for elderly Artsakh refugees in Verishen.
$10,000 develops and delivers CME nutrition courses for 50 healthcare professionals
$20,000 builds and equips one greenhouse
$50,000 supports the creation and accreditation of Undergraduate and graduate university programs in Clinical Dietetics.
Thousands of children in Armenia face the harsh reality of malnutrition, which affects their growth, development, future health outcomes and overall quality of life. With 34% of the population living in poverty, this is an area of immense need. Many families struggle to provide basic non-perishable food staples due to economic, housing, and health-related constraints. Through education, the establishment of meaningful and engaging curriculum, greenhouses and chicken coops, Nourishing Armenia will positively impact Armenia’s overall health.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, we expect to directly benefit more than 300 children through access to fresh produce and nutrition education while simultaneously providing hands-on experience in the areas of cooking, teaching, agriculture, and homesteading. These experiences are designed to expose children to different opportunities for career paths in the future. The initiative will also create local job opportunities for community members to teach homesteading practices like drying fruit and pickling vegetables and farming practices like harvesting crops and tending to chicken coops through engaging activities with the children.
Long Term Impact
In the long run, we anticipate taking the first steps toward a reduction in pediatric malnutrition rates in these regions. We aim to break the cycle of poverty and malnutrition and to provide tools to help fight Armenia’s chronic disease through healthy nutrition.
Sponsors Benefits
Your generous contribution to the Nourishing Armenia project will be recognized in various ways:
Your name will be displayed on a plaque at the greenhouse site.
Recognition on our website and in printed materials related to the project.
Regular updates on the project’s progress and impact.
Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.
Construction on the Nourishing Armenia Gyumri Greenhouse has begun.
March 25, 2025
Nutritionist, Stephanie Sudjian, who is spearheaded the Nourishing Armenia! project spent the day at Debi Arach teaching the children how to make nutritious smoothies. She was also able to check in on the progress of the Nourishing Armenia Gyumri Greenhouse. The greenhouse will serve as a sustainable food option to promote healthy eating, which aims to create a lasting impact on the health & well-being of children and families in Armenia.
June 4, 2025
The Nourishing Armenia Summer program began today at Debi Arach! The children are very excited for this new and fun activity based program.
June 21, 2025
Construction on the new greenhouse and living classroom at Debi Arach is completed. The team completed running the drip irrigation system today!
September 17, 2025
Because of the overwhelming success of Nourishing Armenia’s summer programming, we have decided to continue this important program as a year-round curriculum! Today was the first day!
October 4, 2025
With Nourishing Armenia Founder and Chair visiting Armenia, we officially cut the ribbon on the Greenhouse at Debi Arach!
October 29, 2025
With weekly Nourishing Armenia classes in full swing and students now working in the greenhouse, the excitement level at class time is over the top!
January 16, 2026
Armenia has made a huge stride towards better nutrition in schools with their newest standard: removing sugary snacks and processed foods from Kindergartens. This initiative prioritizes balanced, nutritious meals, kickstarting lifelong wellness that starts with what’s on a child’s plate. This policy aligns with our Nourishing Armenia initiative, helping children develop healthy eating habits early and giving families access to safe, nourishing food.
April 22, 2026
Stephanie Sudjian, MS, RD, LDN, CLT, IFMCP, as part of her work with Nourishing Armenia, ran a Continuing Medical Education course for Doctors and Nurses in Yerevan. More than 30 enthusiastic local healthcare professionals attended to learn about Nutrition and its relation to maternity health. In addition, Stephanie met with elderly members of the Association of Healthcare and Assistance to Older People in Yerevan to discuss healthy diets and their relation to elder issues. Thank you Stephanie for your continued work to positively impact Armenia’s health!
May 15, 2026
One of the students at Debi Arach who helps with the Nourishing Armenia Greenhouse was so inspired by the program that she decided to create a mini greenhouse of her own at home. Moments like this show the true impact of the program, not only teaching students about growing food, but inspiring curiosity, creativity, and lasting connection to sustainability and learning.
They say 60 is the new 50 and our Executive Director, Peter Abajian, is making sure we don’t forget that! To celebrate this milestone birthday we are raising $50,000 to go towards Debi Arach Children’s Center! If anyone knows Peter they know he is full of life and joy, and ultimately has the biggest giving heart so we thought it would be perfect to give in a big way. Join us in celebrating 50 as the new 60 and let’s make a sizeable dent in the Debi Arach operation budget for this upcoming year!
The Paros Foundation launched the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia on April 15, 2015 with the help of generous donors. The center, which provides 185 children each week the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support, has since been a source of positivity in this city.
To date, the center has already had several important successes. At least nine children have been taken out of boarding schools, attend our center and now live back at home with their families. Many of the children who were receiving poor grades in school are now achieving top scores. The children have become socially well-adjusted and much healthier than before with the continued consumption of multi-vitamins and a daily well-balanced meal. Staff trainings take place with an academic counsel of professionals from the United States and Armenia to ensure that the children are receiving the best care, treatment and methods for their development..
Thank you to everyone who generously donated in honor of Peter’s 60th birthday! Your donations helped us raise $16,000 for the Debi Arach operating budget and that is the best birthday gift of all.
“Sari Gat” Dairy & Cheese Company plays an important role in the border town of Berd and the surrounding villages of Armenia’s Tavush Region. As a thriving small business, “Sari Gat” produces a variety of high-quality cheeses and dairy products, distributing them throughout the region. More than just a business, “Sari Gat” is a force for good—purchasing milk from local farmers at fair or above-market prices, generating employment, and stimulating economic growth in the community.
