The
Educational Fund of the ARS Sponsor-A-Child Program
Nearly two decades ago, in the aftermath of
the devastating earthquake of 1988 and the ensuing
liberation war of Artsakh, numerous severely damaged
communities of our Homeland were filled with thousands of
orphaned children. In order to relieve -- at least partially
-- the suffering of these parentless youngsters, in 1992,
the ARS started the Sponsor-A-Child program which -- with
the generosity of concerned sponsors and devoted members of
ARS entities -- after almost one-and-a-half decades of
uninterrupted service, continues to send annual payments to
3,500 orphans.
Today, there are less than 300 orphans on our
lists in need of sponsors. Over the past 14 years, around
7,000 orphans have received the uninterrupted assistance of
this program. At this time, in view of the fact, that the
majority of those orphans has already reached an age when
one must think of making a living at a suitable career in a
chosen profession -- or trade -- as productive members of
the community, the ARS 68th International Convention passed
a resolution to create an Educational Fund for orphans of
Armenia and Artsakh who have reached the age of 18. This
fund will become viable through the generosity of sponsors
who are willing to continue their annual contributions, as well as additional tax exempt donations, promoting
the higher education of these parentless young men and
women.
Assured of the assistance of
our communities, we invite our fellow Armenians to remember
the ARS Orphans Educational Fund when they make tax-exempt
donations in lieu of flowers, or other occasions. Donations
to this Fund can be done through local ARS entities.
The ARS Central Executive
Board appeals to all -- members, supporters and friends --
of the Sponsor-A-Child program, to give to its Educational
Fund their moral and financial support, in order to bring a
program, conceived and born in the blood and tears of tragic
circumstances, to an auspiciously beneficial completion.
24 March, 2006