Artik, Armenia - The Family and Community NGO Center in Artik recently celebrated its fourth anniversary with the official opening of the center's new expansion, made possible through the generous support of the "Armen and Gloria Hampar Family Foundation."
Knarik Gharanfilyan, the Director of the Family and Community NGO, opened the program by thanking the participants and dignitaries, as well as the “Armen and Gloria Hampar Family Foundation” for their support and commitment. She noted that Artik is the NGO’s 5th center, and with the recent expansion, over 100 children can now participate in the Center’s program.
The anniversary event’s attendees reflected the Artik Center’s spirit of partnership and community engagement. These included the representative of Shirak Governor, the Deputy Head of the Artik Municipality, the Principal of Elementary School #5 of Artik, and several members of the local police, including the head of the Juvenile Section of the Family Violence Prevention Department. Also in attendance were various religious leaders, including the Primate of the Diocese of Artik, who added a spiritual dimension to the celebration, highlighting the center's commitment to fostering holistic well-being within the community.
“We are all here today because we believe in the future of Armenia. We believe that these kids deserve a better future and the Tufenkian Foundation, together with all of you, will do our best to support Family and Community to give them that future,” stated Bedo Demirdjian, Director of Communications and Public Relations of the Tufenkian Foundation. “I particularly want to thank Steve Hampar and the “Armen and Gloria Hampar Family Foundation”, who believe in Family and Community’s mission and through their generosity made this beautiful expansion possible”, concluded Demirdjian.
The celebration was punctuated by traditional songs, dances and theater performances by the children who attend the Center’s after-school program. The program was held in the Center’s newly enlarged multi-purpose room, with refreshments being served in the new ceramics and painting class room of the expansion.
Family and Community opened its first center in Metsamor in 2002 and has since expanded to include Armavir, Noyemberyan, Ichevan, and Artik. The NGO’s unique afterschool and other social and psychological support programs help children and families from the poorest and most vulnerable strata of Armenian society to become empowered to overcome the many difficult challenges they face.
As the Family and Community Center in Artik marks its fourth anniversary with growth and expansion, it reaffirms the NGO’s commitment to serving the children and the families of the Artik Municipality, serving as a beacon of hope and empowerment for all community members. Through collaboration, creativity, and compassion, the Center continues to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families, inspiring unity and hope for the future.