Gurgen Melikyan Fund for Kashatagh Families with Multiple Children to Hold Fundraiser on Nov. 16

North Hollywood — The “Gurgen Melikyan Fund for Kashatagh Families with Multiple Children” was established by professor Gurgen Melikyan in 1995 who is its executive director. At the suggestion of the Board of Trustees, the official newspaper “Baregords” was created to report the fund’s activities.

The fund’s activities can be divided into two phases:

1) Before September 2023, the fund implemented a number of charitable projects to eliminate the consequences of the devastating 2020 war, improve the liberated areas and particularly the renovation of kindergartens and schools in the Kashatagh region, provide assistance to wounded and disabled freedom fighters, give aid to needy families with multiple children, plant trees and organize patrimonial expeditions for students, pay the tuition fees of insolvent students in full or in part, and publish important Armenian and artistic books. In addition, in the Arpen Mother and Newborn Center founded by Carolan and George Najarians in Stepanakert, 33,759 Armenian children were born — about one third of the current Artsakhtsis, 554 cows were given to families with multiple children, the needy people were given refrigerators, televisions, and washing machines, more than 60 Armenian scientific and patriotic books were published, and about 10,000 fruit trees were planted.

2) In the second phase, at the end of September 2023, after over 100,000 Artsakhtsis were forcibly displaced from Artsakh and resettled in different parts of Armenia, the goals and objectives of the fund’s activities changed significantly. Now, the center of the fund’s attention is the many needs and concerns of homeless and unemployed compatriots who have lost everything and are subjected to severe mental and moral humiliation.

For the fifth year already, by the decision of the board of trustees of the fund, scholarships are awarded to top students: Stepan Alajajyan and Khoren Palyan Scholarship (YSU Faculty of Armenian Philology), Nazeli and Davit Charchyan Scholarship (YSU Faculty of Chemistry), Lusine Zakaryan Scholarship (Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, Arno Babajanyan State Music and Pedagogical College, Romanos Melikyan State Music College, Charles Aznavour State College of Culture and Art).

In 2024, the “Global Medic” humanitarian organization from Canada cooperated with the fund by sending groups of volunteers to Armenia to assist the deported families. “Global Medic” provides assistance to needy people affected by wars, earthquakes, floods and other disasters in different countries of the world.

The members of the fund’s Board of Trustees, together with the executive director, regularly deliver the planned help: canned food, new clothes, shoes, household and hygienic items for the care of children to around 200 Armenian families deported from Artsakh and sheltered in different settlements of Armenia: Yerevan, Aragatsotn and Gegharqunik states, Sevan, Vardenis, and Ashtarak.

With the expectation of supporting the dispossessed and depressed compatriots, brothers and sisters from Artsakh, the fund is organizing a fundraiser which will take place on November 16, at Bellezza Banquet Hall, 11009 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, 6:00 p.m.

“Dear compatriots, friends of the fund, we urge you not to be indifferent to this fundraising event. Show your generosity with your presence and enthusiastic participation, contribute to the strength of the spirit of our relatives who are materially and morally depressed, for the improvement of their moral and social condition. Let’s overcome the difficulties of the nationwide disaster that has happened to us, together, with your support, let’s keep our compatriots in Armenia until the doors of hope open and favorable conditions and times come for the realization of our national dreams. And those of our compatriots who don’t have the opportunity to participate in person for various reasons, can send their tax-deductible donations to: GMMCFF, 501 W. Glenoaks Blvd., #104, Glendale, CA 91202.p,” said the fund’s executive director.