The Paros Foundation underwrites all administrative and overhead costs allowing 100% of all donor contributions to godirectly towards projects and supported organizations.
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.
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
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.
Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, 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. Although more than a quarter century has passed since the earthquake, this depressive reality still remains. Currently, more than 1,800 families still live in domiks scattered throughout Gyumri in extreme poverty. Many of them are unable to provide for their familys’ needs including warm clothes, nutritious food, heat and electricity for their homes and other basic necessities.
During his visit to Armenia several summers ago Dustin Hochmuth, one of the SERVICE Armenia 2017 participants, and several of his peers, witnessed these horrible conditions and decided to assemble packets for 10 families in dire need of everyday necessities and non-perishable food items. This effort was led by one of the SERVICE Armenia 2017 coordinators, Stephanie Nersesyan. Following the success of that effort, Paros has continued implementing this project on a regular basis.
Our goal is to help 200 families in need over the course of the next two years. Each packet will cost $40 and will include basic staples including personal hygiene products, non-perishable food items such as rice, flour, sugar, salt, oil, and pasta. The packets will also include fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products and canned meats. Donations in any amount will help this important cause.
Currently, more than 1,800 families still live in domiks scattered throughout Gyumri in extreme poverty. Many of them are unable to provide for their familys’ needs including warm clothes, nutritious food, heat and electricity for their homes and other basic necessities.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, 200 families will receive packets filled with basic staples including personal hygiene products, non-perishable food items and fresh food items.
Long Term Impact
In long term, the Armenian diaspora will be exposed to the harsh living conditions in Gyumri through this important project.
Sponsors Benefits
All project sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation’s website. The Paros Foundation can arrange a visit to Gyumri when you are in Armenia.
With the help of donors and SERVICE Armenia 2022 participants, 100 food & supplies packs were assembled and distributed to impoverished families in Gyumri.
June 30, 2023
With the help of our donors and SERVICE Armenia 2023 participants, 100 packs of groceries were assembled and given to impoverished families living in Gyrumri.
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI1AwdYMja8
Region
Yerevan / Երևան
City / Village
Nor Nork / Նոր Նորք
Start Date
September 2022
End Date
August 2023
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 2022-2023.
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 2022-2023 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.
The Akunk village is located in Armenia’s Geghagunik Region and home to more than 4,500 people. The community is located in the more isolated portion of the Geghagunik Region to the east of Lake Sevan. The economy of this village is primarily agriculture based, however some of the villagers work in the city of Vardenis as Akunk is located immediately outside of Vardenis.
In 2020, the governor’s office supported the creation of a new medical center for the community in an existing building. Unfortunately, the funds provided were not enough to complete the full renovation and the medical center continues to operate from a single room in one of the village’s schools.
To resolve this issue and to help create a functioning medical center for the community, The Paros Foundation will complete the remodel of the five room medical center and equip the building with proper heat and some furniture if funding provides. The work to complete the center should take approximately two months.
The large village of Akunk near Vardenis does not have a permanent medical center. The regional administration has partially renovated a suitable building but must be completed.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, the work on the medical center will be completed and the center opened. Local labor will be employed during the work to help provide local jobs.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, the village of Akunk and its residents will benefit from having a quality medical center to help its residents with both its routine and critical medical needs.
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.
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February 21, 2022Renovation work has begun. The heating system has been installed and the local constriction crew is working on putting the floor tile down. June 3, 2022
Medical center is completed and is now fully in use.
Choratan is a village of 900 residents located in the Berd Consolidated Community within Armenia’s Tavush Region. Choratan is located in an isolated section along the Armenian border with Azerbaijan.
Through the support of FAR, a new heating system was installed throughout the school including new boilers, pipes and radiators, however the main gas connection to the school was not installed. The Paros Foundation received a request from the Governor’s office in Tavush to help fund the installation of the gas pipeline to the school in Choratan.
Once funded, the gas company will install a new gas connection to this remote village school to enable the heating system to operate. In addition, this will allow the school to stop burning wood to keep the classrooms heated. It is expected that it will take one month from the time of funding to complete the work.
The Choratan village school has a new heating system installed in the school, but is not operational because of the large expense to connect it to the village’s gas system. The school is forced currently to continue to burn wood to try and heat the classrooms.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, the gas company will connect the school’s system to the village’s gas infrastructure. This will allow the school’s heating system to operate much more efficiently and save money while creating a much more comfortable environment for student and staff.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, students and staff will benefit from healthier school conditions and cost savings from the new heating system.
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.
Verin Tsakhavan is a village in Berd area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. It is home to more than 900 residents. To help provide drinking water to the village, their main water supply was augmented with an additional supply via pump. This has caused increased pressure in the main distribution pipe to the village and is causing the existing pipe to continuously burst in several places. The pipe needs to be replaced along a 200 meter section to fix this situation and provide water to the community.
A 200 meter section of main pipe to the village of Verin Tsakhavan cannot withstand the increased pressure to deliver water to the residents. To remedy this situation, this pipe must be replaced with a higher pressure pipe.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, the residents will benefit from a steady supply of water in their community.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, residents will not only benefit from a steady water supply, but also become more secure in knowing that their families will benefit from normal infrastructure in this important community so close to the border.
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.
Responding to a request from the Verin Tsakhavan mayor to help improve their water distribution infrasture, our crew has started digging to add new water pipes.
February 22, 2023
Our crew has replaced all of the broken water pipes and now the village of Verin Tsakhavan has a clean running water supply.
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI1AwdYMja8
Region
Yerevan / Երևան
City / Village
Nor Nork / Նոր Նորք
Start Date
September 2021
End Date
August 2022
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 2021-2022.
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 2021-2022 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.
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.
https://youtu.be/z-8m4OBPIWc
Region
Shirak
City / Village
Gyumri
Start Date
Immediately
End Date
Two months after start date
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.
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 180 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 have begun 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 five 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. $80,000 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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idA8y2UEDp8
Region
Shirak / Շիրակ
City / Village
Gyumri / Գյումրի
Start Date
April 2021
End Date
March 2022
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 180 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 2021 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 the pandemic, schools and children’s centers were closed throughout Armenia. Debi Arach reopened as soon as it was allowed to. Children are provided a fresh mask each day, food is served in individual containers and extra sanitary steps are taken to prevent the virus’ spread.
May 1, 2021
Debi Arach has won a small grant from the U.S. Embassy in Armenia. The grant is titled “American Summer” and is aimed at teaching students about American culture through food, music, sports and movies. This program will run throughout the summer months.
October 25, 2021
As part of our SERVICE Armenia Young Professional’s trip to Armenia, participants helped distribute warm winter boots and scarfs for the students at Debi Arach. This project is very valuable as winter boots are expensive and most of the children walk to Debi Arach after school (and Gyumri is very cold.)
The Armenian Dental Society of California has partnered with The Paros Foundation in order to help revive its mobile dental clinic and help bring dental care for poverty stricken communities in Armenia. Dental hygiene is commonly overlooked in many of these communities due to several reasons. Dental supplies and dental care are either very hard to find or too expensive for residents in these villages to afford.
To date, the Mobile Dental Clinic has served over 100,000 patients. Drs. Gary Kevorkian and Jack Bayramyan have taken the lead to help secure funding for the clinic. Sponsorship of this project will help raise the funds needed to keep the mobile clinic in operation. The clinic has two dentists, a nurse, a driver on staff who travel along with the mobile clinic and provide dental care for village residents. Dentists from the US have the opportunity to join the two local dentists on a volunteer basis. $2,700 will help keep the mobile clinic working for one month. Dental care provided by the mobile clinic will include basic child oral care and education, cleanings, fillings and other basic care.
Dental supplies and dental clinics are very hard to find or too expensive for residents living in Armenia’s remote and/or poverty stricken villages. This can cause a lifetime of dental problems and oral disease. Residents living in these areas are in need of dental care in order to be able to prevent serious dental issues in the future.
Short Term Impact
Residents of remote and poverty stricken villages will be visited by the mobile dental clinic and receive basic dental care. In addition, two dentists from Armenia will be hired to work alongside volunteer dentists from the United States.
Long Term Impact
Residents of remote and poverty stricken villages will have a decreased chance of tooth decay and serious oral issues in their future.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to sponsor the Mobile Dental Clinic will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and in all appropriate press related to this important project.
