PRESS RELEASE
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Buzand Street, 0010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Children of Armenia Fund – New York Office
162 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900,
New York, NY 10010, USA
Contact: Tracy Mazza
Tel: 212 – 994 – 8234
Fax: 212 – 994 – 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Square One Restaurants and the Children of Armenia Fund Join Hands to
Bring Holiday Baskets to Underprivileged Families
Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, December 25, 2007 ¾ As part of
the social component of its Participatory Integrated Rural Development
Program, the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) has partnered with Square
One Restaurants to distribute holiday food baskets to 368 vulnerable
families in the Model Cluster including elderly and low-income families.
"This is a perfect example of private-public partnership, and we are so
proud that it is formed in time to bring cheers to hundreds of families
for the holidays," stated Dr. Arpie Balian, COAF Country Director.
COAF’s Participatory Integrated Rural Development program is implemented
in the Model Cluster, including Argina, Dalarik, Lernagog, Karakert,
Myasnikyan and Shenik communities and benefiting a population of more
than 16,000. The program components include healthcare, social
assistance and development, education reform, infrastructure
rehabilitation and economic revival. Realized as part of its social
assistance program component, this year’s holiday gifts to the
underprivileged population included clothes, shoes, food and
miscellaneous supplies.
"This gift is just in time for the holidays," stated 82-year-old Marusya
Ghazaryan. "This is the third year that COAF is working in our village
and has changed our lives around. We don’t feel left out, abandoned or
isolated. Just seeing them in our village brings hope and belief in
tomorrow. This gift basket containing sweets, dried fruit and a variety
of nuts will help us celebrate the holidays in the old Armenian
tradition. I am so grateful."
Mr. Koryun Minasyan, Shenik Village Mayor, expressed his personal
gratitude for this specific project. "I am convinced that my colleagues
>From neighboring villages will agree with me that the Children of
Armenia Fund is always in the right place, at the right time. The
village government welcomes COAF’s efforts and all my staff is ready to
provide the necessary support and participation in the implementation of
other development projects. We are closing the year on much better
ground and looking forward to next year with a more positive attitude.
All of these improvements and little steps forward for our community
have been realized because of you!"
This partnership was also targeted to assist dozens of larger families
in meeting their daily needs. The feedback received from project
beneficiaries has been heart-warming. "We can’t but be thankful for
this continuous assistance," says Sanam Sahradyan, mother of seven
children from Lernagog. "We feel COAF’s supportive hand not only in the
community, but also in our personal lives, in providing us with reliable
health services and improving the standards of education for our
children."
# # #
Square One Restaurants is an eatery chain operating in Armenia,
currently with three locations in Yerevan and Zvartnots International
Airport, and serving up to 800 people everyday. The company was founded
in 2004 by Sam Samuelian and Stepan Panosian, Diaspora Armenians who
moved to Armenia 6 years ago. They founded the Square One Restaurant
chain with the vision of improving service and hygiene standards in the
restaurant industry in Armenia. Key staff of Square One Restaurants are
certified by the American National Restaurant Association Educational
Foundation for food safety and by the American Hotel and Lodging
Association as Hospitality Trainers. Additionally, Square One is a
longstanding partner of organizations such as the Ministry of Social
Affairs Unemployment Agency, the American University of Armenia Business
School and the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia. Square One is a
founding member and president of the Armenian Restaurant Association.