News

SARF Delivers Another $100K for Syrian Armenians

Glendale, CA - As the war rages on in Syria, the calls for help are reaching donors, whose contributions raised another $100,000 for the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF). With the latest transfer, the total SARF contributions for Syrian Armenians reached one million dollars. "Thanks to the caring, compassionate and highly responsible spirit of our donor public, we have reached this milestone,” said Zaven Khanjian, SARF Executive Committee Chairperson. He added, “As we cannot reach each individual donor personally, we take this opportunity to salute every one of them around the nation who contributed from $5 to $25,000." The latest donations included two $10,000 donations. One was from the European-based family of the late Dr. Iskandar Kassis of Aleppo; the…
SARF Fund
June 12, 2014
News

SARF Contributions from the East & West Coasts Nurses, Students & Teachers Among Donors

Glendale, Calif. (June 9, 2014).- The on-going crisis in Syria continues to take its toll on the Armenians in Syria, from Aleppo to Damascus to Kessab. The Armenian communities from the East Coast continue to donate to the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF), along with continued support from the West Coast. The Armenian American Nurses Association (AANA), which was organized following the 1988 Spitak earthquake in Armenia, focused its attention on the new crisis. According to the Presidents of the AANA, Dr. Zarmine Naccashian, the nurses were directed to make donations “in lieu of Christmas gifts from AANA.” A total of $3,500 was collected from this effort. The Glendale Teachers Association (GTA), which is the union that represents over 1,200…
SARF Fund
June 9, 2014
News

Syrian Armenian Relief Fund Urgent Appeal

The situation in Aleppo has turned to the worse in the past few days. The Syrian Armenian Relief Fund received direct information from Aleppo about the continuing bombardments on the city. The Armenian populated area of Nor Keugh has experienced barbaric bombardments from the Turkish supported armed groups. Explosives, mortar shell, missiles, barrel bombs and gas canisters continue to fall on civilian areas. Damage in Nor Kuegh is catastrophic. This area, built by the sweat and blood of Armenians, is being ruined in a rapid pace and the cost to life and property is unimaginable. Nor Keugh is declared a Disaster Zone. The neighborhood, that once was densely populated by Armenians, where schools, churches, community centers, community-owned residences and shops…
SARF Fund
June 5, 2014
News

Varoujan Koundakjian Awarded “Knight of Cilicia” Medal $75,000 Raised for Armenians of Kessab

GLENDALE – By the initiative of Asbarez Daily Armenian Newspaper and the Armenian Cultural Foundaion, on the evening of Friday, May 16, a reception was held at Phoenicia Restaurant in Glendale in celebration of community activist, leader and philanthropist Varoujan Koundakjian’s 80th birthday. The event also served as an opportunity to honor Koundakjian’s decades-long service to the community. On behalf of His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, the Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian awarded Koundakjian the “Knight of Cilicia” insignia and Pontifical Encyclical. In the Encyclical, His Holiness commended Koundakijan’s lifetime of service and dedication to the Armenian Church and people, spanning from the Western United States to Armenia, his moral and financial support, and…
SARF Fund
May 21, 2014
NewsPhotos

Photos: SARF HyeAID3 Charity Concert

The most recent Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF) HyeAID3 concert at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California, was held on April 29, 2014, and raised one more $100,000 for Syrian Armenians. SARF had sent the earlier $100,000 to help the Armenians who were displaced from their ancestral homes in Kessab, within days of the attack on March 21st.
SARF Fund
May 5, 2014
News

SARF HyeAID3 Proceeds Raises Total Contributions to Syrian Armenians to $900,000

Glendale, CA – The most recent Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF) HyeAID3 concert at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California, was held on April 29, 2014, and raised one more $100,000 for Syrian Armenians. SARF had sent the earlier $100,000 to help the Armenians who were displaced from their ancestral homes in Kessab, within days of the attack on March 21st. This concert started with medley of Aram Khachatourian’s music, with Armen Aharonian on the piano, accompanied by his orchestra. Artist-broadcast journalist Nune Avetisyan opened up the concert by reciting poetry by Vahan Tekeyan “Gantsrevé Dghas” (My son it’s raining – in reference to crying). She also made opening remarks thanking the audience for supporting SARF and the volunteer artists, by…
SARF Fund
May 5, 2014
News

Let’s Keep the Life-Saving Chain Tight By Zaven Khanjian

ՓՐԿՈՒԹԵԱՆ ՕՂԱԿԸ ՊԻՆԴ ՊԱՀԵՆՔ HyeAID3 #SaveKESSAB Զաւէն Խանճեան Ձանձրացած են՞ք: Երբէ՛ք: Յոգնած են՞ք: Քա՛ւ լիցի: Կ'ամչնա՞նք: Բացարձակապէ՛ս: Հակառակ շարունակուող ողբերգութեան՝ հակառակ սիրտ ճմլող կռունկներուն՝ հակառակ գորշ ամպերուն՝ Սուրիահայ գաղութի գահավիժող երթին՝ Յոյսը վառ կը պահե՛նք, տակաւին լաւատե՛ս ենք: Ուրիշ ելք չունի՛նք: Քէսապի հայաթափման արձագանքը հանդիսացող՝ ժողովուրդի զօրակցութեան ձայնը լսեցինք, հեռախօսազանգերը ստացանք եւ ե-նամակները կարդացինք: Պատգամը մէկ էր՝ «Ինչպէ՞ս օգնենք» Ահա՛ւասիկ ընծայուած առիթը: Կամաւոր եւ սրտատրոփ արուեստագետներու հոյլ մը, հայատրոփ սրտով հայուհի մը եւ նուիրեալ կազմակերպիչներու մեղուաջան խումբ մը կը հրաւիրեն ձեզ SARFի զօրակցութեան HyeAID3 երգահանդէսին՝ Ապրիլ 29, 2014ին Կլէնտէյլի ALEX թատրոնին մէջ: Տրամաբանութիւնը պարզ է: Հայ մնալու համար, գոյութիւն է պէտք: Լեզու փրկելու համար, ժողովուրդ է պէտք: Գաղութ պահելու համար, ողջ ըլլալ է պէտք: Հարիւրամեակ յիշատակելու համար, առողջ ըլլալ է…
SARF Fund
April 17, 2014
News

Armenian Diaspora United for #SaveKessab HyeAID3 Concert

Over the past two years, the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF) Executive Committee has been faithful to its mission, with calls to action, press releases, fundraisers and two major concerts, HyeAID and HyeAID2, combining our efforts, with those of artists and volunteers. Today’s call to action is to #SaveKessab. Join us on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 7 p.m., at the Alex Theatre, 216 N Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203. Let us be delighted by the appearance of beloved and admired artists, who are volunteering their time for the sake of the Armenians of Kessab, who had to flee their ancestral homes to survive. Get your tickets at www.itsmyseat.com/HyeAID or call the telephone numbers listed on our flyer. The following…
SARF Fund
April 4, 2014
News

An Urgent Appeal; $100,000 Aid Transferred

WE HAVE HEARD THE CALL... “Our homes have been taken from us; centuries of our heritage has been destroyed. This is a call to all Armenians; this is a call to humanity.” In the light of the latest developments in the Kessab region of Syria, which subjected the Armenian families to surprise attacks and looting, and forced them to flee for their lives, the Executive Committee of the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF) held an emergency session and decided to immediately transfer $100,000 in direct financial assistance to reach our compatriots to provide a degree of physical subsistence and financial relief. The struggle for survival of the Syrian Armenians continues and requires a united will to provide immediate assistance. Let…
SARF Fund
March 26, 2014