LOS ANGELES—“Fruitful Artsakh,” Armenia Fund’s 20th Thanksgiving Day Telethon, raised $12,505,456 million in donations and pledges.
According to organizers, the proceeds from the Nov. 23 pan-Armenian event will help boost agriculture in Artsakh through two major projects: the drilling of deep-water wells and construction of irrigation networks; and the installation of solar power stations.
Held annually in Los Angeles, the Armenia Fund Telethon is broadcast across the United States and internationally.
Since its inception 25 years ago, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has implemented over 50,000 projects in Armenia and Artsakh, with a total value of more than $350 million, through the support of close to 700,000 donors. These projects include the construction or renovation of more than 375 miles of roads and highways; 360 miles of water pipelines, networks, and canals; 93 miles of gas pipelines and networks; 44 miles of power lines; 359 schools and kindergartens; 24 community centers; 500 houses and apartments; 75 hospitals and clinics; 58 cultural institutions and sports complexes; 100 greenhouses; and 169 educational, cultural, and scientific initiatives.
The 2017 telethon’s major donors included a $2.5 million anonymous donation as well as a $2.25 million donation by Russian-Armenian real estate developer and owner of Tashir Group Samvel Karapetyan.
Last year’s installment telethon raised $15,428,777 in donations and pledges, which benefited the rebuilding of war-ravaged communities in Artsakh, emergency and disaster preparedness for Artsakh, and the construction of homes for Artsakh families with multiple children.
Armenia Fund’s ‘Fruitful Artsakh’ telethon raises more than $12.5 million which is most welcome however its worth noting that over $10 billion of hot money has been taken out of Armenia in the last ten years and deposited in offshore accounts by regime officials and their oligarchs.Note the huge difference between people donating their hard earned and legitimate $ and the corrupt officials who have amassed huge wealth at the expense of Armenian nation and its national security and have turned Armenia into their milking cow fiefdom by stealing daily from the country.
Is this the sickening and criminal behaviour that we should be clapping and be proud of?
Although every dollar helps out to aid Armenia & Artsakh, I was disappointed in this years lower donation than past years. I think more advertising should be done to help our Armenian people.
dear stephen, we are tired of helping, why is it that the european and western diaspora are the biggest contributors by NUMBER and a few select oligarchs contribute from Russia and Armenia. The biggest pig is Robert Kocharian who siphoned 6 billion dollars to offshore accounts and his son parks his yacht in montenegro next to Roman Abramovich….could he not contribute? Definitely not. But in any case at least the fund is still going and it is best to help armenia and artsakh by directly investing rather giving any handouts.