Fuller Center Honors Genocide Martyrs by Building 100 Homes

YEREVAN—To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) recently began a project—called “Honoring 100 Years by Saving 100 Families”—that aims to build and renovate 100 homes for 100 at-risk families. Since the start of the project almost a year ago, 68 families have already been assisted.

“We express our gratitude to all our supporters for joining us and helping honor the memories of the martyrs and survivors of the Armenian Genocide by building homes for families that have no permanent shelter or live in unbearable conditions. We hope to reach our goal of supporting 100 families by the end of 2015,” said FCHA President Ashot Yeghiazaryan.

FCHA is reaching out to Armenians all over the world to support this project. A donation of $10,500 will sponsor a single, completed home. The beneficiary family will receive a personalized, commemorative plaque inscribed with the donor’s choice of message or dedication. When construction is done, all house-donors will receive a certificate from FCHA and photos of the new house. FCHA has already received home sponsorships from generous supporters, including Arlene Hajinlian of New York, the Candan and Minakian families of New York, Sandra Shahinian Leitner of New Jersey, the Armenian community of Racine, Wisc., and others.

When a donation is less than a single home sponsorship, FCHA will combine the contributions it receives with other gifts and assign a beneficiary family when $10,500 has been collected. Any amount donated will make a difference in the life of one more family.

“My family faced a lot of difficulties,” shares Lilit Karapetyan from the town of Berdzor in Artsakh (Karabagh). “My father’s family lost their home during the Artsakh War. Later when he met my mother, they had to move from one place to another to find shelter. In 2010, they managed to buy a dilapidated house with only walls and a roof. They renovated the roof with the support of the local municipality. Since then we have been trying to finish the construction but couldn’t. My parents are hardworking people who do whatever is possible to earn a living for our family, but that’s only enough to live on.”

Karapetyan continues, “When my mom told me that there is an organization that will help us finish the construction of our house, it was overwhelming. I couldn’t believe it! I’ve dreamed of having a home since childhood. I’m 18 years old now. Words can’t describe the gratitude that I want to express to the sponsors and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia for the greatest gift of my life. By the end of the year, we will live in our completed home—in the home of my dreams. Thank you!” Karapetyan’s house is being built thanks to the generous donations of the Candan and Minakian families.

To “Honor 100 Years by Saving 100 Families,” send your donation to the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, Inc., P.O. Box 523, Americus, Georgia 31709, USA. Please write “Armenia-100” in the memo line of your check. To donate online, visit weblink.donorperfect.com/FCH_Armenia100.

If a donor or a group of donors wishes to sponsor a single, completed home at $10,500, e-mail fcarmenia@fullercenterarmenia.org to provide your dedication message for the plaque to the beneficiary family.

The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable organization that supports community development in the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent, and affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to decent shelter as a matter of conscience and action. FCHA provides long-term, interest- and inflation-free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families make the transition out of poverty housing. This system provides a financial structure for sustainable community development.

For more information, visit www.fullercenterarmenia.org.