The Armenian Educational Foundation held its annual fundraiser on November 4 at the home of long-time members Chris and Melody Petrossian. Throughout the years, the Petrossians have sponsored 10 school renovations in Armenia, funded full-tuition scholarships and volunteered their time to the AEF board of directors and committees.
One hundred and eighty members and supporters attended the AEF’s sold out fundraiser dinner and raised over $180,000 to support educational programs in Armenia, Artsakh and the diaspora. The success of the event was also a high point for the 68 year old organization in that the majority of the guests were a new generation of donors.
A tribute donation was announced by the Baghdassarian family in memory of Hacop Baghdassarian. Hacop’s son, Gevik Baghdassarian, stated, “The AEF is the perfect vessel to achieve your charitable wishes, because the money raised goes directly to the charitable objective with minimum administrative cost. Our family has seen firsthand the remarkable impact of sponsoring an AEF school. We visited a number of AEF renovated schools and saw the lasting impact education has on those communities.”
During the evening a new video was presented to the guests showcasing the success of many of AEF’s programs.
AEF’s President, Hermineh Pakhanians, remarked, “Our objective with this video, is to give our community a glimpse at some of the amazing work we accomplish through the generosity of our donors.”
AEF supporters gather for annual fundraiser
Event Chairwoman, Ruby Baghdassarian, emphasized, “The evening was an immense success as we added new members, raised over $180,000 and increased the number of students who will receive a full, four-year tuition in Armenia and Artsakh to 257. What is equally impressive is that many of these donors are the new generation of Armenians who are giving back to their community. We are an organization of new and old who combine resources to ensure another six decades of success.”
The AEF was established in 1950 to provide financial support to Armenian students and Armenian educational institutions. AEF will use the funds raised to support its educational programs in Armenia, Artsakh and the diaspora. All AEF programs are planned and executed by volunteers with minimal overhead – assuring donors that their contribution is used directly towards the purpose for which they donate.
For more information on the Armenian Educational Foundation or to donate online, please visit [email protected].