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July 02, 2015
AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women’s Center in Vanadzor Receive Blankets “Stitched with Love”
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Founded by Betty Cherkezian of New Jersey in 2013, “Stitched with Love” provides knitted and crocheted hats and blankets to newborns in maternity hospitals throughout Armenia. -
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In the past year, nearly 800 baby hats and blankets have been received as well as another 100 knit hats, sweaters and scarves for older children. -
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On June 13, AGBU Yerevan visited the AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women’s Center in Vanadzor to deliver colorful hats and blankets for newborns.
On June 13, AGBU Yerevan visited the AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women’s Center in Vanadzor to deliver hats and blankets for newborns—special gifts from the Armenian Missionary Association of America’s (AMAA) “Stitched with Love” program. Founded by Betty Cherkezian of New Jersey in 2013, the program provides knitted and crocheted hats and blankets to newborns in maternity hospitals throughout Armenia.
“40,000 babies are born in Armenia each year, yet few hospitals in Armenia distribute hats and blankets to newborns, especially in the small towns and villages in the countryside. This is what led me to ask individuals and organizations if they could provide knitted and crocheted items,” said Betty. “It has been very encouraging to see the generous support of so many people and I welcome anyone who has a love of knitting or crocheting to join this wonderful cause.”
During the visit, the AGBU Yerevan staff met 23 women, 13 of whom are expecting their first child. Established in 2006, the AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women’s Center in Vanadzor provides free counseling and support to pregnant women. The centers—located in Talin, Vanadzor, Yeghvart and Yerevan—strive to improve the country’s birthrate and help families raise healthy children by offering seminars with social workers and psychologists to educate women about basic child-rearing and parenting skills. “If not for this center, we would have to look for the answers to our concerns on the Internet, but it wouldn’t be the same,” said Lena Harutunyan, who began coming to the center in March 2015. “It is very hard to filter information online, but here you can get the answers to your questions.”
The first “Stitched with Love” shipment of over 500 hats and blankets made by volunteers across the United States arrived in July 2014. In the past year, nearly 800 hats and blankets for babies have been received as well as another 100 knit hats, sweaters and scarves for older children.
In recent years, the need in Armenia has become even greater due to the influx of Armenian refugees from Syria and Iraq. To meet the demand, “Stitched with Love” is increasing its distribution and expanding to include hats, sweaters and scarves for children ages 1-5 through AMAA schools and other Armenian charities.
For more information on AGBU Yerevan, please visit www.agbu.am.
For more information of the “Stitched with Love” program or to volunteer to knit or crochet, please write to stitchedbc@gmail.com.
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