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Square One Restaurants and COAF Join Hands to Bring Holiday Baskets

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  • Square One Restaurants and COAF Join Hands to Bring Holiday Baskets

    PRESS RELEASE
    Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) - Yerevan Office
    53-55 Pavstos Buzand Street, 0010
    Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
    Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
    Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
    Fax: (+374 10) 522076
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.coafkids.org

    Children of Armenia Fund - New York Office
    162 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900,
    New York, NY 10010, USA
    Contact: Tracy Mazza
    Tel: 212 - 994 - 8234
    Fax: 212 - 994 - 8299
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.coafkids.org


    Square One Restaurants and the Children of Armenia Fund Join Hands to
    Bring Holiday Baskets to Underprivileged Families

    Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, December 25, 2007 ¾ As part of
    the social component of its Participatory Integrated Rural Development
    Program, the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) has partnered with Square
    One Restaurants to distribute holiday food baskets to 368 vulnerable
    families in the Model Cluster including elderly and low-income families.
    "This is a perfect example of private-public partnership, and we are so
    proud that it is formed in time to bring cheers to hundreds of families
    for the holidays," stated Dr. Arpie Balian, COAF Country Director.

    COAF's Participatory Integrated Rural Development program is implemented
    in the Model Cluster, including Argina, Dalarik, Lernagog, Karakert,
    Myasnikyan and Shenik communities and benefiting a population of more
    than 16,000. The program components include healthcare, social
    assistance and development, education reform, infrastructure
    rehabilitation and economic revival. Realized as part of its social
    assistance program component, this year's holiday gifts to the
    underprivileged population included clothes, shoes, food and
    miscellaneous supplies.

    "This gift is just in time for the holidays," stated 82-year-old Marusya
    Ghazaryan. "This is the third year that COAF is working in our village
    and has changed our lives around. We don't feel left out, abandoned or
    isolated. Just seeing them in our village brings hope and belief in
    tomorrow. This gift basket containing sweets, dried fruit and a variety
    of nuts will help us celebrate the holidays in the old Armenian
    tradition. I am so grateful."

    Mr. Koryun Minasyan, Shenik Village Mayor, expressed his personal
    gratitude for this specific project. "I am convinced that my colleagues
    >From neighboring villages will agree with me that the Children of
    Armenia Fund is always in the right place, at the right time. The
    village government welcomes COAF's efforts and all my staff is ready to
    provide the necessary support and participation in the implementation of
    other development projects. We are closing the year on much better
    ground and looking forward to next year with a more positive attitude.
    All of these improvements and little steps forward for our community
    have been realized because of you!"

    This partnership was also targeted to assist dozens of larger families
    in meeting their daily needs. The feedback received from project
    beneficiaries has been heart-warming. "We can't but be thankful for
    this continuous assistance," says Sanam Sahradyan, mother of seven
    children from Lernagog. "We feel COAF's supportive hand not only in the
    community, but also in our personal lives, in providing us with reliable
    health services and improving the standards of education for our
    children."

    # # #

    Square One Restaurants is an eatery chain operating in Armenia,
    currently with three locations in Yerevan and Zvartnots International
    Airport, and serving up to 800 people everyday. The company was founded
    in 2004 by Sam Samuelian and Stepan Panosian, Diaspora Armenians who
    moved to Armenia 6 years ago. They founded the Square One Restaurant
    chain with the vision of improving service and hygiene standards in the
    restaurant industry in Armenia. Key staff of Square One Restaurants are
    certified by the American National Restaurant Association Educational
    Foundation for food safety and by the American Hotel and Lodging
    Association as Hospitality Trainers. Additionally, Square One is a
    longstanding partner of organizations such as the Ministry of Social
    Affairs Unemployment Agency, the American University of Armenia Business
    School and the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia. Square One is a
    founding member and president of the Armenian Restaurant Association.
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