Want to send a birthday surprise to a child with special needs from our partner center Emili Aregak? Purchase a honey cake through the donation link here: https://givebutter.com/cakes4kiddos. We'll send you a photo of the birthday boy or girl and the cake you gifted!
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#OurDailyBread has always been about more than meeting physical needs. Just over seven months ago, we began the campaign in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to both satisfy hunger, and remind vulnerable people that they were not forgotten. Thanks to the generous support of Toufayan Bakeries and the organization AYO!, we planned to bake 9,000 loaves over the months of September and October. We would support several communities in need, including the elderly beneficiaries of a local soup kitchen, a daycare for the elderly, low-income families affected by COVID-19 and families of children with disabilities. We never predicted how #OurDailyBread would pivot. In late September, Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, attacked the region of Artsakh. This small piece of mountainous land is historically Armenian, but claimed by Azerbaijan. Since the fighting began, more than 1200 Armenian soldiers and 50 civilians have lost their lives in the war. Thousands have fled north to Armenia. In October, Aregak Bakery began baking bread for the displaced families temporary living in Gyumri - families like Lilit, Arman and Artak. The three spent a terrifying week in war-torn Artsakh before leaving for Gyumri, where Lilit's parents live. Thankfully, the boys are adapting; they smile and laugh. Lilit is strong, but her eyes can't hide fear and anxiety. "We left everything, our house, everything, so I could at least bring my children out of danger," Lilit told me. "My husband is on the front... we are just hoping for victory." Sadly, due to the mass movement of refugees and the changing weather, COVID-19 cases are again rising. As the need expands, we are committed to continuing #OurDailyBread through the remainder of the year. Thank you for making our efforts possible. We are deeply grateful for your support. We made it through May! With your help, we again met our monthly goal. In fact, we baked and distributed even more bread than we did in April -- about 2,600 loaves. The May special shout-out goes to the folks at Birthright Armenia for their help in spreading awareness! As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Armenia, food insecurity also remains high. The sad truth is that even after the pandemic passes, unemployment and poverty will continue to grip Gyumri. We hope to keep the #OurDailyBread campaign as a permanent project of Aregak Bakery & Cafe, but we need your help to do that. Thank you for your contributions! 1. Donate by credit card here: https://caritas.am/aregak-bakery-cafe/ 2. Supporters in America may donate through the secure Venmo app. We are listed as @aregak-bakery. 3. Supporters in Armenia may make a direct bank transfer to “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO through ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, Gyumri Branch, account number 220063350429000. Please specify "Aregak Bakery" as the purpose of payment. 3. Supporters in Europe may make a bank transfer to "Caritas Austria - Diocese of Feldkirch" through Raiffeisenbank Feldkirch, IBAN: AT32 3742 2000 0004 0006, BIC: RVVGAT2B422. Please specify "Aregak Bakery" as the purpose of payment. When we first began the #OurDailyBread campaign in April, we had a lofty goal for the month. We wanted to 1) raise $5,500 to reduce hunger in our community through deliveries of fresh bread and 2) keep our staff employed during the quarantine. Shortly after our first delivery, we highlighted one of our recipients, a frail elderly woman living in one of the կիսաքանդ (half-destroyed) buildings in Gyumri. That photo united many people. Thanks to you -- our supporters -- we met our goal by the end of April. Over the course of the month, we delivered more than 2,300 loaves of bread to over 200 vulnerable families, including the elderly, impoverished and orphaned, as well as those affected by disability. We were able to keep all of our staff (most of whom come from vulnerable families themselves) employed. In addition to many generous donors, we were blessed with partners at every level. Armenian Caritas and local churches are helping with deliveries. Cherkezi Dzor, Gyumri's famous fish restaurant, donated huge loads of frozen trout and caviar to us to distribute among those in need. The NGO "Aid Beyond Borders" provided a generous donation to help us pay our staff's salaries. Our campaign also received coverage from Asbarez News, The Armenian Mirror-Spectator and Armenian Public Radio. As we move forward into May uncertain of what the future holds, we are continuing the #OurDailyBread campaign with the goal of reaching even more vulnerable people this month. Just $15 helps us deliver fresh bread and joy to those in need. Thank you for your generosity and partnership! Donation Options1. Donate by credit card here: https://caritas.am/aregak-bakery-cafe/
2. Supporters in America may donate through the secure Venmo app. We are listed as @aregak-bakery. 3. Supporters in Armenia may make a direct bank transfer to “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO through ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, Gyumri Branch, account number 220063350429000. 3. Supporters in Europe may make a bank transfer to "Caritas Austria - Diocese of Feldkirch" through Raiffeisenbank Feldkirch, IBAN: AT32 3742 2000 0004 0006, BIC: RVVGAT2B422. Please specify "Aregak Bakery" as the purpose of payment. Thank you to Asbarez News for highlighting Aregak Bakery & Cafe and the #OurDailyBread campaign!
"With the help of a few donors, the bakery mobilized and ramped up its bread production. Armenian Caritas helped the team identify people in need. And some of the baristas and cashiers donned masks and gloves and became the delivery team." You can read the full article "Sharing Joy and Bread in Gyumri" here: http://asbarez.com/193912/sharing-joy-and-bread-in-gyumri/ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many elderly, poor and otherwise vulnerable people in Gyumri are struggling to access and/or afford food. Simultaneously, we have been forced to close our cafe to the public in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But we can still bake and deliver, which is what we're doing through the "Our Daily Bread" campaign! "Our Daily Bread" is a project intended to help the most disadvantaged in our community weather this difficult period of quarantine. Your donation enables us to send fresh loaves of bread to people in need. It also keeps our inclusive small business running. Any gift helps. Thank you for your support! Donation Options1. Donate by credit card here: https://caritas.am/aregak-bakery-cafe/ 2. Supporters in America may donate through the secure Venmo app. We are listed as @aregak-bakery. 3. Supporters in Armenia may make a direct bank transfer to “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO through ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, Gyumri Branch, account number 220063350429000. 4. Supporters in Europe may make a bank transfer to "Caritas Austria - Diocese of Feldkirch" through Raiffeisenbank Feldkirch, IBAN: AT32 3742 2000 0004 0006, BIC: RVVGAT2B422. Please specify "Aregak Bakery" as the purpose of payment. The EVN Report's touching article about our danish pastry specialist, Anahit, and her son Edgar is a story about the beautiful complexity and strength of mothers, especially those raising a child with a disability. Read here:
https://www.evnreport.com/raw-unfiltered/choosing-contentment In Armenia, where stigma lingers like a bad winter cough, the concept of a café that welcomes both disabled workers and patrons is revolutionary. But at Aregak, inclusivity is part of everything from interior design to job creation. Here, disability is neither a reason for shame nor a roadblock to entrance. Using the motto “Employ Our Ability,” Aregak is the first restaurant in the city of Gyumri to promote and celebrate the capabilities of young people with disabilities (PWD). Skeptical patrons have only to watch Grisha at work to rethink their stereotypes. Read more here: https://armenianweekly.com/2018/10/11/aregak-bakery-making-pastries-and-changing-perspectives/
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September 2021
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