One of the ways FASF is making the stream of donations more stable is by seeking regular monthly donations rather than one-time ones, especially because the aftermath of the war will be felt for decades. “This is a cause that will need continuous contribution for many years to come. IFS estimates that we’ll collectively need to invest over $300 million over the next 20 years towards these causes. This is a big problem, but also a big opportunity for the community to band together and support. In that sense, when we say continuous giving, we mean both monthly donations (which our platform seamlessly enables) and continuous mindshare for this problem,” Kablanian explained.
In addition to Kablanian, the other co-founders of FASF are fellow members of the Armenian tech community, Al Eisaian, CEO of IntelinAir and Patrick Sarkissian, CEO and co-founder of Raleigh&Drake (RAD).
Explained Kablanian, “All have had a sustained impact on Armenia’s economy in two key ways: (1) through entrepreneurial endeavors across various business opportunities spanning over 20 years, and (2) philanthropically through both contributions and organizationally (example: Patrick Sarkissian is the founder of ONEArmenia). In addition to the founding Board members mentioned above, we have many volunteers who feel a similar level of passion for this cause and are donating their time, resources, and expertise to making FASF a success.”
Adam Kablanian
He added, “First and foremost, FASF has one focus: enabling support for fallen or disabled Armenian soldiers and their families. We believe this sole focus will help us drive the most impact. In addition, because we’re solely focused on this cause, we’re able to directly measure and transparently share the impact we’re having in a way that we believe resonates with our donors. This will be expressed through amount of funds raised, grants that have been provided, and the corresponding impacts of those grants (e.g. IFS will be able to support X families for Y years due to the funds raised by FASF donors). Lastly, we believe our platform (website, connections, focus area, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization status) allows us to make a larger impact than other platforms have historically.”
One of the problems that arises with donations to Armenia is fear that the money will not reach its designated destination. Kablanian is aware of this concern and has put protocols in place to safeguard the process, he said. “Transparency in our process, actions, and outcomes will be key for us; frankly, it’s something that should be a central focus for any non-profit organization, whether Armenian or otherwise. We have plans to share outcomes (dollars raised), impact (lives that we’ve been able to impact), and future plans in real-time via our website & social media channels. We also go through a rigorous process of ensuring the organizations we partner with have the highest ethical standards & track records of success.”
For Kablanian and FASF, again and again, it is the fate of soldiers that is important. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that our brave men and women who sacrifice their lives for Armenia are supported, forever. This support can come in various forms: education, healthcare, monetary support, and anything in between. We’d like the global Armenian community to collectively participate in this goal. After all, the monetary donations we can all make is just a small sacrifice compared to what our brave men and women in Armenia are contributing every day,” he said.