S.F. Community Members Celebrate Arev Children’s Development Center’s Accomplishments

SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco community members gathered at the home of Elaine Kapjian-Pitt and Morley Pitt in San Francisco March 8 to honor the impactful work of the Arev Children’s Development Center in Yerevan, Armenia.

More than a few dozen guests learned about the center’s efforts to improve the lives of children with Down syndrome which provide medical care, education, and advocacy—the only center of its kind focusing on Down syndrome in Armenia.

Fr. Grigor Grigorian, founder of the Arev Center, was in attendance from Armenia and shared the center’s journey and mission, including how it has personally played a vital role in the development of his young son, also with Down syndrome.

Fr. Grigor also discussed the Bell Choir formed by the children at the center, illustrating their dedicated efforts to reshape societal perceptions of individuals with Down syndrome across Armenia. Families bringing their children to the center are not required to pay for the rehabilitation services their child receives, which is a huge burden lifted for the families.

The event was hosted by St. John Armenian Church, Fr. Mesrop Ash, Elaine Kapjian-Pitt, Kim Bardakian Demirjian, and Valina Agbabian.