UAF Ends Humanitarian Shipments to Armenia

GLENDALE, Calif.—The Board of Directors of the United Armenian Fund (UAF) recently announced that the non-profit organization would be ending its operations on Nov. 30, following the passing of its main benefactor, Kirk Kerkorian, preceded by the closing down of his Lincy Foundation.

After 26 years of providing humanitarian aid to Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh), the five major Armenian-American religious and charitable organizations that formed the UAF have decided to concentrate their attention and resources on other projects that they sponsor and fund in Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.

The leaders of UAF member organizations expressed their gratitude to Kerkorian for his generosity, who through his Lincy Foundation contributed tens of millions of dollars to fund the UAF’s operations, including the shipment of hundreds of millions of dollars of relief supplies to Armenia and Artsakh by air and sea.

The UAF was formed shortly after the devastating 1988 earthquake in Armenia to provide much-needed humanitarian aid to the destitute survivors in the earthquake zone. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the blockade of Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan, the UAF decided to expand its mission to include the entire population of ArmeniUAFa and Artsakh.

Over the years the UAF acquired, shipped, and distributed all types of relief supplies, including medicines and medical equipment, agricultural equipment, seeds, computers, books, toys, winter clothing, and shoes to hospitals, clinics, schools, orphanages, and hundreds of charitable organizations throughout Armenia and Artsakh.

The UAF Board of Directors thanked the many generous donors who contributed large quantities of vital goods and supplies to the UAF over the years. The Board also commended the UAF staff—Harut Sassounian, president; Nouritza Abujamra, administrative assistant—for their dedicated service to the organization.

Over the past 26 years, the UAF has delivered a total of $720 million worth of relief supplies to Armenia and Artsakh on board 159 airlifts and 2,260 sea containers.

The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Relief Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.

For more information, contact the UAF office by calling (818) 241-8900.