Armenian Adoption Adventure explores the latest in Adoption news from Armenia. Armenian Adoption Adventure has a network of 40 people worldwide that have adopted from Armenia. God Bless you on this difficult journey.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Armenian Adoption Adventure, Easter Egg Hunt fun
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Armenian Adoption-Paros Foundation supports women's shelter
Finally a women's shelter to protect mothers and their children.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/12500/paros-foundation-raises-$25000-for-domestic-violence-victims-in-armenia.html
More than 200 supporters of Paros “Lighthouse” Charitable Foundation USA raised an impressive $25,000 at a fundraising event on March 11, 2012 at Zov’s Bistro in Tustin, CA. The event benefited Paros “Lighthouse” Foundation’s vital work assisting victims of domestic violence and other critical outreach services in Armenia.
Guests enjoyed delicious appetizers and great wines, all underwritten by Zov’s Bistro. Highlighting the event was renowned attorney Mark Geragos, Esq. as the guest speaker.
The event was a call to action for Armenian communities worldwide to take a stand against domestic abuse. Speaking to the guests, Geragos said that in the past 20 years he has observed an increase in spousal abuse cases in California courts among Armenian families. He stated that violence against women anywhere is unacceptable. He encouraged everyone to donate to Paros “Lighthouse” Foundation to help women in crisis in Armenia.
Co-Founder Seta Ghazarian stated, “We serve pregnant and parenting young women in the secure environment of our 13,000 sq. ft. shelter/women’s center in the village of Bdghounk. Our core services focus on keeping both mother and child healthy and safe, while teaching the mothers important skills like child development, parenting, and health and nutrition. For women in immediate danger, we have an emergency hotline number, “20-80”, which can be called from anywhere in Armenia free of charge. Our goal is to help young Armenian women realize their full potential, despite the danger and adversity they face.”
In addition to aiding victims of domestic violence, Paros “Lighthouse” Foundation also offers desperately needed services to the local community including vocational training, psychological counseling and therapy, sewing and cooking classes, women’s health services with an on-site OBGYN physician, dental health services with an on-site dentist, feeding the poor and elderly, supporting a local kindergarten, weekly Bible study, and donations of essential goods to the needy in Armenia and Artsakh.
Zuhrab and Seta Ghazarian have been engaged in charity work and community outreach for underprivileged and underserved Armenians since 1999. The idea of “Paros” (meaning "lighthouse" in Armenian) was established by friends and supporters of the Ghazarian family, and grew out of their concern for Armenian women and children as well as the integrity of the Armenian family. Paros “Lighthouse” Armenian Charitable Foundation USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public benefit corporation registered in the State of California and Republic of Armenia.
For more information about Paros “Lighthouse” Charitable Foundation USA and to donate, please visit www.parosfoundation.org.
Photo: Paros "Lighthouse" Foundation supporters (l. to r.) Andy Andonian, Betty Gulezian, Paros Lighthouse Founder Seta Ghazarian, Appo Jabarian, and Diane Hekimian
Monday, March 26, 2012
Vanessa Kachadurian: Vanessa Kachadurian, Hopscotch Adoptions legal bil...
Vanessa Kachadurian: Vanessa Kachadurian, Hopscotch Adoptions legal bil...: Hopscotch Adoptions Legal Fees View more documents from VanessaKachadurian This is Hopscotch Adoptions 2010, 990 IRS Tax Returns. P...
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Armenian Adoptions- Robin Sizemore and Hopscotch Adoptions featured on Radio Free Europe
Robin Sizemore on Armenian Adoptions
View more documents from VanessaKachadurian
http://www.rferl.org/content/armenia_considers_changing_adoption_procedures_amid_corruption_allegations/24336795.html
Excerpts of this article from Radio Free Europe:
Shadowy Middlemen
It will decide in the coming months whether it will be necessary to amend Armenia's Family Code, which would require parliamentary approval, or to simply change existing procedures, which could be enacted by the government without legislative action.
Under the existing rules, the Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Issues draws up and keeps a national registry of children available for domestic and foreign adoption.
The list is supposed to be accessible to all prospective adoptive parents. But in practice, even government agencies say they have trouble accessing
Specifically, the report cited a sample contract signed by one U.S. agency, Hopscotch Adoptions, based in High Point, North Carolina, which assists Americans wishing to adopt Armenian and Georgian children.
The contract, offered to a potential client in the United States in 2007, explained that almost $5,000 of more than $30,000 charged by Hopscotch for every adoption would be spent on “gifts to foreign service providers and government functionaries performing ministerial tasks as an offer of thanks for prompt service.”
It claimed that such gifts are common in Armenia and Georgia and do not violate U.S. law.
Armenian Adoption Adventure-Sonia Vigilante Armenian Adoption Expert speaks
FROM: SVigilante@verizon.net
TO: Armenian-Adoption-Interest@yahoo.com
DATE: Febuary 26, 2012
Although I adopted in 2008, I wanted to clarify a few things that Katie stated.
In our experience, there was NO requirement to give gifts to ANYONE. This was completely voluntary and from a cultural perspective a nice thing to do. In fact, I enjoyed making the cards for the Nannies. I printed thank you in Armenian (using the Armenian lettering), which was challenging, but fun!
Also we did use the apartment provided by Hopscotch, however, a friend of mine who also used Hopscotch did not use the apartment because her parents owned an apartment in Yerevan. So they were not required to pay for that portion of the expenses.
Of course, things may have changed since 2008, but perhaps someone else could chime in who adopted more recently.
Finally, adopting domestically is also a crap shoot. It all depends on your particular situation. For us, we were older parents at the time of adoption. I was 48 and my husband was 53. Although we have a very comfortable financial situation, I had been told we would not be good candidates for domestic adoption because most birth mothers want younger parents. Also, the risk of birth mother changing her mind is also a consideration. But each situation is different, and if you are not willing to wait for international adoption, domestic may be a good alternative to consider.
Armenian children are beautiful and the culture is so rich!! Our adventure is something we will always remember fondly...there is something very special about making the trek to another country to bring your son/daughter home.
In case you haven't had a chance to see this, this is a video we made about our adventure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rBaFd7JhX4
Good luck with your adventure!
Ms. Sonia Vigilante who likes to tout her pre-Hague adoption of a little girl that was referred to her at a mere 22 days (hardly time to wash the placenta off). Sonia who doesn't speak or write/read Armenian had to hire a middle man to complete her adoption.
This was completed in May 2008 before the Hague was implemented in Armenia. When anyone with connections to Armenia and who spoke the language could complete a independant adoption on their own.
Ms. Vigilante, continues to pass herself off as the unofficial spokesperson for Hopscotch Adoptions and how ethical Robin Sizemore is.
Nice gifts to the nannies and orphanage director.
The pictures Ms. Vigilante sends out and posts online are bizarre. Sonia loves to appear as an elite part of society, a rich powerful person who buys her way through life. She sent photos to my witnesses of herself and of her country club. Always blabbering about her nanny, her adoption, her house, her this and that.
Sonia has cajoled with the Gulen Movement a Turkish cult to harm Armenians. Others in the Armenian Adoption community are getting sick and tired of her ugly remarks and don't find her to be anything but a wealthy Potomac housewife with a blabbermouth. Still trying to validate her pre-hague abduction/adoption. Clearly has a screw loose and pollutes her family blog with hate posts about others.
Some time I will post those photos that Sonia has sent to my witnesses, she looks very much like Nancy Pelosi not a "Hot Mama" that she claims her husband calls her.
Kevin Vigilante unsuccessfuly tried to run for Senate in Rhode Island against Patrick Kennedy (Bennet Kelley loves the Kennedys) and tried to slander the Kennedys.
Check out the video "Taking on the Kennedys" and learn of Sonia's desire to become a political wife.
She refers to "Katie" in this posting. We want to clarify that Katie is a single woman in NJ who is a Principal. Katie has been patiently waiting over 3 years for an adoption referral from Armenia. Hopefully, Katie will get her wish in 2012. No Katie, you don't have to pay $200.00 a night for the Hopscotch provided apartment, there are many other less expensive places to stay. Conversely, Adoption Agencies are not licensed to conduct business in Armenia and this must be done through the on ground person or Hopscotch Adoption's in-country facilitator who is also not registered or recognized under Armenian Family Law or any Armenian laws.
TO: Armenian-Adoption-Interest@yahoo.com
DATE: Febuary 26, 2012
Although I adopted in 2008, I wanted to clarify a few things that Katie stated.
In our experience, there was NO requirement to give gifts to ANYONE. This was completely voluntary and from a cultural perspective a nice thing to do. In fact, I enjoyed making the cards for the Nannies. I printed thank you in Armenian (using the Armenian lettering), which was challenging, but fun!
Also we did use the apartment provided by Hopscotch, however, a friend of mine who also used Hopscotch did not use the apartment because her parents owned an apartment in Yerevan. So they were not required to pay for that portion of the expenses.
Of course, things may have changed since 2008, but perhaps someone else could chime in who adopted more recently.
Finally, adopting domestically is also a crap shoot. It all depends on your particular situation. For us, we were older parents at the time of adoption. I was 48 and my husband was 53. Although we have a very comfortable financial situation, I had been told we would not be good candidates for domestic adoption because most birth mothers want younger parents. Also, the risk of birth mother changing her mind is also a consideration. But each situation is different, and if you are not willing to wait for international adoption, domestic may be a good alternative to consider.
Armenian children are beautiful and the culture is so rich!! Our adventure is something we will always remember fondly...there is something very special about making the trek to another country to bring your son/daughter home.
In case you haven't had a chance to see this, this is a video we made about our adventure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rBaFd7JhX4
Good luck with your adventure!
Ms. Sonia Vigilante who likes to tout her pre-Hague adoption of a little girl that was referred to her at a mere 22 days (hardly time to wash the placenta off). Sonia who doesn't speak or write/read Armenian had to hire a middle man to complete her adoption.
This was completed in May 2008 before the Hague was implemented in Armenia. When anyone with connections to Armenia and who spoke the language could complete a independant adoption on their own.
Ms. Vigilante, continues to pass herself off as the unofficial spokesperson for Hopscotch Adoptions and how ethical Robin Sizemore is.
Nice gifts to the nannies and orphanage director.
The pictures Ms. Vigilante sends out and posts online are bizarre. Sonia loves to appear as an elite part of society, a rich powerful person who buys her way through life. She sent photos to my witnesses of herself and of her country club. Always blabbering about her nanny, her adoption, her house, her this and that.
Sonia has cajoled with the Gulen Movement a Turkish cult to harm Armenians. Others in the Armenian Adoption community are getting sick and tired of her ugly remarks and don't find her to be anything but a wealthy Potomac housewife with a blabbermouth. Still trying to validate her pre-hague abduction/adoption. Clearly has a screw loose and pollutes her family blog with hate posts about others.
Some time I will post those photos that Sonia has sent to my witnesses, she looks very much like Nancy Pelosi not a "Hot Mama" that she claims her husband calls her.
Kevin Vigilante unsuccessfuly tried to run for Senate in Rhode Island against Patrick Kennedy (Bennet Kelley loves the Kennedys) and tried to slander the Kennedys.
Check out the video "Taking on the Kennedys" and learn of Sonia's desire to become a political wife.
She refers to "Katie" in this posting. We want to clarify that Katie is a single woman in NJ who is a Principal. Katie has been patiently waiting over 3 years for an adoption referral from Armenia. Hopefully, Katie will get her wish in 2012. No Katie, you don't have to pay $200.00 a night for the Hopscotch provided apartment, there are many other less expensive places to stay. Conversely, Adoption Agencies are not licensed to conduct business in Armenia and this must be done through the on ground person or Hopscotch Adoption's in-country facilitator who is also not registered or recognized under Armenian Family Law or any Armenian laws.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Armenian Adoption Sister Arousig- One-on-One: Armenia's "Carrier of Light"
Sister Arousig is very respected and a leader in defending the rights of Armenian orphans and ALL Armenian children.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Armenian Adoption Victory- Hopscotch Adoptions fake victory press release is removed
Hi Vanessa,
This is a serious issue, and I have reported your issue to our manager, actually our website doesn’t support for this kind of press release submission, and under our discussion we have agreed to remove the press release as your request, please refresh the page by using f5.
Thanks for your reminding which let us avoid a big problem.
If you still have problem or some other new problems you find, you can e-mail us at all times.
FPR is not affiliated with the said party.
Sincerely,
Ursula
On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 5:15 AM, Vanessa Kachadurian wrote:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
URL: http://www.free-press-release.com/news-hopscotch-adoptions-claims-victory-against-serial-cyber-defamer-1323391477.html
Title: Hopscotch Adoptions Claims Victory Against Serial Cyber Defamer
Complaint and Evidence: This Adoption agency is lying and never received a judgment but a partial reimbursement for their enormous legal fees. She is using this site to discredit me while trying to inflat her own image. Research online there are many articles about this adoption agency who has made over $1.3 million in fees in 4 years.
Username: Vanessa Kachadurian
Email: vkcentralca@live.com
UPDATE: Attorney Bennet Kelley is once again threatening individuals he has contacted Ursula at Free Press Release and told her that her e mail should not be published. They asked me to take down the truth.
Bennet Kelley cannot continue to use his law license to threaten, intimidate or manipulate.
My response back to Ursula was, Get a court order and I will remove. Mr. Kelley and his "client" do not want the truth they want their version of the truth.
Here is the e mail from Ursula, Mr. Kelley needs to STOP manipulating the media. He doesn't frighten me, I know the law and so do my friends. So Bennet Kelley the wanker believes he can publish what he pleases but others don't have rights? Not so my friends, you ALL have the right to discuss your point of views, your opinions and THE TRUTH.
Hi Vanessa，
We have removed the press release. You can’t post the contents of our e-mail on the blog without our permission. Please remove the information immediately.
http://armenianadoptionadventure.blogspot.com/2012/03/armenian-adoption-victory-hopscotch.html
Sincerely,
Ursula
Dear Ursula;
I see that Kelley has tried his poison legal pen with you as well. I will remove if you get a court order to do so. Otherwise, I legally own the e mail and it is a matter of free speech and the truth. This is a matter of public interest that Americans must know their civil liberties are being threatened. Not sure why Mr. Kelley is so afraid of being exposed as a liar. Frankly, he dubs me "serial cyber stalker" but I would rather be that than known as a second rate lying attorney who attacks private citizens for telling the truth.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Kachadurian
This is a serious issue, and I have reported your issue to our manager, actually our website doesn’t support for this kind of press release submission, and under our discussion we have agreed to remove the press release as your request, please refresh the page by using f5.
Thanks for your reminding which let us avoid a big problem.
If you still have problem or some other new problems you find, you can e-mail us at all times.
FPR is not affiliated with the said party.
Sincerely,
Ursula
On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 5:15 AM, Vanessa Kachadurian
------------------------------------------------------------------------
URL: http://www.free-press-release.com/news-hopscotch-adoptions-claims-victory-against-serial-cyber-defamer-1323391477.html
Title: Hopscotch Adoptions Claims Victory Against Serial Cyber Defamer
Complaint and Evidence: This Adoption agency is lying and never received a judgment but a partial reimbursement for their enormous legal fees. She is using this site to discredit me while trying to inflat her own image. Research online there are many articles about this adoption agency who has made over $1.3 million in fees in 4 years.
Username: Vanessa Kachadurian
Email: vkcentralca@live.com
UPDATE: Attorney Bennet Kelley is once again threatening individuals he has contacted Ursula at Free Press Release and told her that her e mail should not be published. They asked me to take down the truth.
Bennet Kelley cannot continue to use his law license to threaten, intimidate or manipulate.
My response back to Ursula was, Get a court order and I will remove. Mr. Kelley and his "client" do not want the truth they want their version of the truth.
Here is the e mail from Ursula, Mr. Kelley needs to STOP manipulating the media. He doesn't frighten me, I know the law and so do my friends. So Bennet Kelley the wanker believes he can publish what he pleases but others don't have rights? Not so my friends, you ALL have the right to discuss your point of views, your opinions and THE TRUTH.
Hi Vanessa，
We have removed the press release. You can’t post the contents of our e-mail on the blog without our permission. Please remove the information immediately.
http://armenianadoptionadventure.blogspot.com/2012/03/armenian-adoption-victory-hopscotch.html
Sincerely,
Ursula
Dear Ursula;
I see that Kelley has tried his poison legal pen with you as well. I will remove if you get a court order to do so. Otherwise, I legally own the e mail and it is a matter of free speech and the truth. This is a matter of public interest that Americans must know their civil liberties are being threatened. Not sure why Mr. Kelley is so afraid of being exposed as a liar. Frankly, he dubs me "serial cyber stalker" but I would rather be that than known as a second rate lying attorney who attacks private citizens for telling the truth.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Kachadurian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)