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PRESS OFFICE
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.farusa.org
April 15, 2008
___________________
MARDIGIAN FOUNDATION DONATES $1 MILLION TO THE FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF (FAR)
New York, New York - At-risk children in Yerevan received a gift of
hope recently, when the Edward and Helen Mardigian Foundation of
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, gave a $1 million gift to the Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR) to support its Homeless Children's Center in
Yerevan.
The Center, to be renamed the Helen and Edward Mardigian Family
Children's Center, is a proactive program, working with at-risk
children before they end up on the street. The Center's social
workers, psychologists, and medical professionals work to keep
children in stable, loving homes, rather than having them end up
abandoned and living in orphanages or other institutions.
The generous gift from the Mardigian Foundation will allow FAR to
expand and enhance the Center's family-oriented programs designed to
strengthen the community surrounding at-risk children.
"It was heartbreaking to see what is happening to Armenian children,"
said Janet Mardigian, a member of the Diocesan Council of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), who toured FAR's Homeless Children's
Center in July 2007. "Anyone who visits cannot leave without shedding
tears. It was very difficult coming home from there. I love children
and have a soft spot for them. They are the ones who need help."
IMPACT OF WITNESSING ARMENIA FIRST-HAND
Upon returning to the United States, Mrs. Mardigian described the
experiences of her first trip to Armenia to Edward, her husband of 38
years. "Before this journey, I didn't understand the depth of FAR's
programs in Armenia. There are so many components that FAR deals with
in Armenia - the mindset of locals after communism, dealing with the
government, people still living in domiks since the earthquake - so
much still needs to be done. Seeing FAR's work, however, gave me
hope. I am very impressed with FAR."
During the tour of the Center, Mrs. Mardigian and the others had a
chance to meet not only the qualified and dedicated professional
staff, but also to talk with some of the young children whose lives
have been improved by the care and guidance they get at the Center.
"At the Homeless Children's Center, there were two little girls there,
eight- and nine-year old sisters. I couldn't take my eyes off them!
If I could have, I would have brought them home," shared Mrs.
Mardigian.
Those two young girls, Gohar and Inessa, came to the center in April
2007 after living on the streets alone. They had low self-esteem and
were emotionally anxious. The problem facing these two young girls
was that their parents divorced in 2005. While their mother tried her
best to care for them. She rented a small apartment and found a way
to send them to school, where they excelled. But soon their mother
lost her job. She had no emotional or financial support from her own
family, and started drinking. As their mother's drinking got worse
and her care for her daughters deteriorated, the authorities stepped
in, bringing the two girls to FAR's Center.
At the center, FAR's professionally trained social workers and
psychologists organized a meeting with the sisters' grandmother, who
did not realize the poor state her granddaughters were in. With the
support of FAR and their grandmother, Gohar and Inessa's mother
received the treatment she needed. And the girls received the care
and direction they needed to regain the hope of childhood.
Today, thanks to FAR's efforts, Gohar and Inessa live in a much safer
environment with their mother and grandmother.
MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR CHILDREN
After hearing about the children helped by the Center and the
continuing need for pro-active, family-centered efforts to help
at-risk children, the Mardigian family asked FAR what they could do to
help.
"We wanted to support something worthy and deserving," said Edward
Mardigian Jr., who is planning his frist trip to Armenia in September
2008. "We chose the Homeless Children's Center based on the
recommendation of FAR Chairman Randy Sapah-Gulian and because of FAR's
strong experience as child welfare advocates in Armenia, as well as
its track record as pioneers in effecting positive change in
children's lives. Children are our future. We must cultivate the
youth, especially the Armenians."
Mr. Sapah-Gulian noted that the Mardigian gift provides critical
funding that can be used immediately for programs to help at-risk
children. "Ultimately we will help foster a strong and confident next
generation to lead and grow Armenia into a brighter future," he said.
"I have known Mr. and Mrs. Mardigian Sr., since I was a child," he
continued. "They have always focused on the children. This gift is
in keeping with their vision. The Mardigian Foundation is a long-time
supporter of children's programs."
THE HELEN AND EDWARD MARDIGIAN FOUNDATION - CONTINUING TO GIVE BACK
Established in 1955, the Helen and Edward Mardigian Foundation has
provided significant support to various religious, cultural, and
educational philanthropies, including a major contributions towards
the building of the St. John Armenian Church of Greater Detroit and
the restoration of many historic Armenian churches and monasteries
worldwide. It has also provided generous support towards the Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the Armenian Assembly of America.
The Foundation has funded three museums, including the Edward and
Helen Mardigian Museum in the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem and the
museum in the Armenian monastery in Geghard, Armenia. The family also
created the Helen and Edward Mardigian Institute at the Eastern
Diocese, a highly successful training program for educators and Sunday
School teachers.
"My parents instilled philanthropy in all of us when we were
children," said Mr. Mardigian, Jr. who runs the Foundation with his
mother, recalling: "when I was 12 years old, I overheard my mother
telling my father about a donation. I decided to give some money to
Leader Dogs for the Blind. After I received a note thanking me for
the contribution, I decided next year to give more."
"They taught us to want to give back, communicating that this country
was good to them and so they wanted to give back to the community," he
said. "My father focused on the Armenian community, however, he
wanted to serve everyone, which is why my father started the
foundation."
FAR PIONEERS CHILD PROTECTION IN ARMENIA
To confront child abandonment and institutionalization, FAR Homeless
Children Center has grown since opening in February 2000from providing
basic crisis intervention as a temporary safe haven for street
children, to becoming a full-service facility for at-risk children
with branch locations in the provinces, a national hotline, family
outreach and strengthening services, a UNICEF-sponsored foster care
program, a national child protection network, and much more.
FAR's Center, open 24 hours every day, has a unique multidisciplinary
approach that has helped more than 2,300 troubled children in the last
seven years. The combined instrumental, emotional and protective
assistance contributes significantly ot the rehabilitation of children
who have been found living alone on the streets, engaged in begging or
vagrancy, having dropped out of school, and/or with various behavioral
problems. They are usually careless, parentless, or in physical
danger, whether environmentally or bodily.
The Homeless Children Center is considered a crown jewel in FAR's
portfolio of programs. Founded in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR
has served millions of people through more than 220 relief and
development programs in Armenia, Karabagh and Javakhk. It has
channeled more than $265 million in humanitarian assistance by
implementing a wide range of projects including emergency relief,
construction, education, medical aid, and economic development.
In 2008, FAR was awarded its second consecutive four-start rating by
Charity Navigator, America's premier charity evaluator, for sound
fiscal management. This "exceptional" designation from Charity
Navigator differentiates FAR from its peers and demonstrates to the
public it is worthy of their trust. By offering hope and more
promising prospects in Ar,menia, Karabagh and Javakhk, FAR binds the
Diaspora and the Armenian family together around the globe.
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact us at 630
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; web www.farusa.org; e-mail [email protected].
* * *
E-mail photos available upon request.
CAPTION (1): Edward Mardigian, Sr., and his wife Helen, whose Edward
and Helen Mardigian Foundation recently gave a $1 million gift to the
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) to support its Homeless Children's
Center in Yerevan.
CAPTION (2): Janet Mardigian and her husband Edward Mardigian Jr.
CAPTION (3): Janet Mardigian joins Archbisho Khajag Barsamian,
Primate, and other Diocesan leader on a tour of FAR's Homeless
Children's Center in Yerevan during a recent trip to Armenia by the
Diocesan Council and the FAR Board of Directors.
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.farusa.org
April 15, 2008
___________________
MARDIGIAN FOUNDATION DONATES $1 MILLION TO THE FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF (FAR)
New York, New York - At-risk children in Yerevan received a gift of
hope recently, when the Edward and Helen Mardigian Foundation of
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, gave a $1 million gift to the Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR) to support its Homeless Children's Center in
Yerevan.
The Center, to be renamed the Helen and Edward Mardigian Family
Children's Center, is a proactive program, working with at-risk
children before they end up on the street. The Center's social
workers, psychologists, and medical professionals work to keep
children in stable, loving homes, rather than having them end up
abandoned and living in orphanages or other institutions.
The generous gift from the Mardigian Foundation will allow FAR to
expand and enhance the Center's family-oriented programs designed to
strengthen the community surrounding at-risk children.
"It was heartbreaking to see what is happening to Armenian children,"
said Janet Mardigian, a member of the Diocesan Council of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), who toured FAR's Homeless Children's
Center in July 2007. "Anyone who visits cannot leave without shedding
tears. It was very difficult coming home from there. I love children
and have a soft spot for them. They are the ones who need help."
IMPACT OF WITNESSING ARMENIA FIRST-HAND
Upon returning to the United States, Mrs. Mardigian described the
experiences of her first trip to Armenia to Edward, her husband of 38
years. "Before this journey, I didn't understand the depth of FAR's
programs in Armenia. There are so many components that FAR deals with
in Armenia - the mindset of locals after communism, dealing with the
government, people still living in domiks since the earthquake - so
much still needs to be done. Seeing FAR's work, however, gave me
hope. I am very impressed with FAR."
During the tour of the Center, Mrs. Mardigian and the others had a
chance to meet not only the qualified and dedicated professional
staff, but also to talk with some of the young children whose lives
have been improved by the care and guidance they get at the Center.
"At the Homeless Children's Center, there were two little girls there,
eight- and nine-year old sisters. I couldn't take my eyes off them!
If I could have, I would have brought them home," shared Mrs.
Mardigian.
Those two young girls, Gohar and Inessa, came to the center in April
2007 after living on the streets alone. They had low self-esteem and
were emotionally anxious. The problem facing these two young girls
was that their parents divorced in 2005. While their mother tried her
best to care for them. She rented a small apartment and found a way
to send them to school, where they excelled. But soon their mother
lost her job. She had no emotional or financial support from her own
family, and started drinking. As their mother's drinking got worse
and her care for her daughters deteriorated, the authorities stepped
in, bringing the two girls to FAR's Center.
At the center, FAR's professionally trained social workers and
psychologists organized a meeting with the sisters' grandmother, who
did not realize the poor state her granddaughters were in. With the
support of FAR and their grandmother, Gohar and Inessa's mother
received the treatment she needed. And the girls received the care
and direction they needed to regain the hope of childhood.
Today, thanks to FAR's efforts, Gohar and Inessa live in a much safer
environment with their mother and grandmother.
MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR CHILDREN
After hearing about the children helped by the Center and the
continuing need for pro-active, family-centered efforts to help
at-risk children, the Mardigian family asked FAR what they could do to
help.
"We wanted to support something worthy and deserving," said Edward
Mardigian Jr., who is planning his frist trip to Armenia in September
2008. "We chose the Homeless Children's Center based on the
recommendation of FAR Chairman Randy Sapah-Gulian and because of FAR's
strong experience as child welfare advocates in Armenia, as well as
its track record as pioneers in effecting positive change in
children's lives. Children are our future. We must cultivate the
youth, especially the Armenians."
Mr. Sapah-Gulian noted that the Mardigian gift provides critical
funding that can be used immediately for programs to help at-risk
children. "Ultimately we will help foster a strong and confident next
generation to lead and grow Armenia into a brighter future," he said.
"I have known Mr. and Mrs. Mardigian Sr., since I was a child," he
continued. "They have always focused on the children. This gift is
in keeping with their vision. The Mardigian Foundation is a long-time
supporter of children's programs."
THE HELEN AND EDWARD MARDIGIAN FOUNDATION - CONTINUING TO GIVE BACK
Established in 1955, the Helen and Edward Mardigian Foundation has
provided significant support to various religious, cultural, and
educational philanthropies, including a major contributions towards
the building of the St. John Armenian Church of Greater Detroit and
the restoration of many historic Armenian churches and monasteries
worldwide. It has also provided generous support towards the Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the Armenian Assembly of America.
The Foundation has funded three museums, including the Edward and
Helen Mardigian Museum in the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem and the
museum in the Armenian monastery in Geghard, Armenia. The family also
created the Helen and Edward Mardigian Institute at the Eastern
Diocese, a highly successful training program for educators and Sunday
School teachers.
"My parents instilled philanthropy in all of us when we were
children," said Mr. Mardigian, Jr. who runs the Foundation with his
mother, recalling: "when I was 12 years old, I overheard my mother
telling my father about a donation. I decided to give some money to
Leader Dogs for the Blind. After I received a note thanking me for
the contribution, I decided next year to give more."
"They taught us to want to give back, communicating that this country
was good to them and so they wanted to give back to the community," he
said. "My father focused on the Armenian community, however, he
wanted to serve everyone, which is why my father started the
foundation."
FAR PIONEERS CHILD PROTECTION IN ARMENIA
To confront child abandonment and institutionalization, FAR Homeless
Children Center has grown since opening in February 2000from providing
basic crisis intervention as a temporary safe haven for street
children, to becoming a full-service facility for at-risk children
with branch locations in the provinces, a national hotline, family
outreach and strengthening services, a UNICEF-sponsored foster care
program, a national child protection network, and much more.
FAR's Center, open 24 hours every day, has a unique multidisciplinary
approach that has helped more than 2,300 troubled children in the last
seven years. The combined instrumental, emotional and protective
assistance contributes significantly ot the rehabilitation of children
who have been found living alone on the streets, engaged in begging or
vagrancy, having dropped out of school, and/or with various behavioral
problems. They are usually careless, parentless, or in physical
danger, whether environmentally or bodily.
The Homeless Children Center is considered a crown jewel in FAR's
portfolio of programs. Founded in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR
has served millions of people through more than 220 relief and
development programs in Armenia, Karabagh and Javakhk. It has
channeled more than $265 million in humanitarian assistance by
implementing a wide range of projects including emergency relief,
construction, education, medical aid, and economic development.
In 2008, FAR was awarded its second consecutive four-start rating by
Charity Navigator, America's premier charity evaluator, for sound
fiscal management. This "exceptional" designation from Charity
Navigator differentiates FAR from its peers and demonstrates to the
public it is worthy of their trust. By offering hope and more
promising prospects in Ar,menia, Karabagh and Javakhk, FAR binds the
Diaspora and the Armenian family together around the globe.
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact us at 630
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; web www.farusa.org; e-mail [email protected].
* * *
E-mail photos available upon request.
CAPTION (1): Edward Mardigian, Sr., and his wife Helen, whose Edward
and Helen Mardigian Foundation recently gave a $1 million gift to the
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) to support its Homeless Children's
Center in Yerevan.
CAPTION (2): Janet Mardigian and her husband Edward Mardigian Jr.
CAPTION (3): Janet Mardigian joins Archbisho Khajag Barsamian,
Primate, and other Diocesan leader on a tour of FAR's Homeless
Children's Center in Yerevan during a recent trip to Armenia by the
Diocesan Council and the FAR Board of Directors.