In response to the economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Izmirlian Foundation launched an emergency food assistance project to support vulnerable families across Armenia and Artsakh. The initiative particularly targeted people whose livelihoods had been severely affected by the crisis, including socially and physically disadvantaged people, unemployed and daily-paid workers, seasonal workers returning from abroad, and families that had lost remittance income or had not benefited from government COVID-19 assistance programmes. Implemented in partnership with the Social Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the project aimed to strengthen food security by ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for households facing heightened vulnerability during the pandemic.
Community Small Group Homes: Creating a Pathway from Institutional Care to Independent Living Supporting children and young people with disabilities has become one of the Izmirlian Foundation’s flagship areas of engagement, shaped by more than two decades of experience, emerging needs and persistent gaps in Armenia’s social care system.
The “Guyqadaran” Special Equipment Library is a multi-phase initiative of the Izmirlian Foundation and Source Foundation designed to improve the quality of life of children with disabilities and their families by providing access to therapeutic equipment and positioning devices needed for continuous rehabilitation. The model responds to an important gap: while parents are often taught therapeutic techniques that can be continued at home, specialized equipment may be unavailable or unaffordable. The project introduced a shared equipment library model, allowing families to temporarily borrow therapeutic and positioning devices according to a child’s individual needs and return them when they are no longer required, so that the equipment can subsequently benefit another child.
The Development of Inclusive Football for Children with Special Needs (Disabilities) project promotes social inclusion and healthy development through safe, accessible football activities in Yerevan. It targets children aged 9–18 with disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.
