Yerevan, Armenia
While orphanages in Armenia do their best to provide children with basic care and necessities, their limited funding does not allow for outside visits to museums, amusement parks, and other fun excursions. During this summer of 2014, with the support of several donors, The Paros Foundation hosted several enjoyable daytrips for over 120 children from three of Armenia's orphanages. Children from the Yerevan Children's Home and the Gavar Orphanage were treated to a day at the Yerevan Zoo, while children from the Kharpert Home For Special Children spent an afternoon at Victory Park. Project donors, volunteers, and the wonderful youth of the SERVICE Armenia 2014 group were responsible for planning and executing these fun and exciting trips.

"Spending the day with these amazing children and helping to put smiles on their faces was both humbling and rewarding," said Laura Kulhanjian Conrow, whose family sponsored and participated in these excursions during their first family trip to Hayastan.

At the zoo, the children spent hours feeding and admiring the animals, while the children at Victory Park enjoyed the rides, as they played and danced with their new friends. Both groups had a short break for refreshments.

Since 2011, The Paros Foundation has successfully organized a total of nine orphan excursions in Armenia. These projects help these children receive much needed social interaction, and they ensure that the children have some fun and memorable experiences.
"With projects such as these, we can bring more awareness about the high number of orphans and orphanages that still exist in Armenia, " said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of the Paros Foundation. " We all hope that one day Armenia will no longer need orphanages, but until that day comes, we should all we can to lessen the emotional struggles which these children live with every day."

The Paros Foundation underwrote all administrative expenses associated with these excursions, thus allowing 100% of the contributions to be allocated to these projects. The Paros Foundation would like to thank the following sponsors for making these excursions possible:

Chris & Lena Adishian
Catherine & Lauren Conrow
Adam & Rita Kablanian "In Memory of Angela Varderesyan"
Keith & Heghnar Watenpaugh

In addition, we would like to express our gratitude to the staff and administration of both the Yerevan Zoo and Victory Park for their continued support and accomodation.

To honor the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, The Paros Foundation launched The Paros 100 for 100 Projects for Prosperity initiative in the fall of 2011 to benefit Armenia and her people. 100 pre-screened projects in the areas of development, education, cultural and humanitarian will be implemented to help make Armenia stronger and improve the lives of her people.

Donations to The Paros Foundation, a 501(c) 3 organization, are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To find out how you can sponsor an orphanage excursion, or other project and for more information about how to get involved, visit www.parosfoundation.org or call (310) 400-9061.

Formally launched in 2006, The Paros Foundation supports six exemplary local NGOs in Armenia and launched the Paros 100 for 100 Projects for Prosperity in October of 2011 to commemorate the upcoming centennial of the Armenian Genocide. With an aggressive goal of identifying, vetting, fundraising for and ultimately implementing 100 special projects, The Paros Foundation and its staff in Armenia and the United States are quickly earning a reputation as the "go to" organization to oversee small and medium-sized project implementation in Armenia.

To sponsor a project of the Paros Foundation's 100 for 100 Projects for Prosperity, please visit www.parosfoundation.org.