Arevatsag children celebrate the opening of the first village kindergarten, a successful outcome of the JMP Armenia initiated community development program. Photo by Zabel Yirikian.
What is the Jinishian Memorial Program?
An ecumenical relief and development agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Jinishian Memorial Program (JMP) "enables Armenians in need to move from poverty and despair to self-sufficiency and hope — through relief, development and spiritual uplift." In 1967 Vartan H. Jinishian’s bequest to the church was made in loving memory of his parents, the Rev. and Mrs. Haroutune Jinishian of Marash, Turkey, to address continued hardships faced by Armenians in need overseas.
JMP is a ministry of the PC(USA)’s General Assembly Mission Council and is part of the World Mission ministry area. It is directly involved in community-based development, the delivery of social services and relief projects to thousands of Armenians. It is particularly attuned to the socially vulnerable of Armenian societies, especially the elderly who live without pension support or on very limited income as well as families with children, whose income is below the poverty level. Vocational training, use of revolving loan funds, summer camps and housing assistance have been used.
Find us on FacebookHelp provide winter shoes for Armenian children
The Jinishian Memorial Foundation in Armenia has a highly successful program called Civil Dialogs and Actions which has spread to all seven regional universities in Armenia. The intention is to educate and encourage youth to play active roles in the civil life of the country. Recently we announced a fundraising campaign we’re calling our “Winter Shoes to School Children from Vulnerable Families of Armenia" project. Due to budget cuts, this project was stopped, but we realized the importance and urgent need for it. Read more
A letter from Gary Payton in the United States (regional liaison for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia and Poland)
June 1, 2011
Dear Friends in Christ,
The pinks of a gentle, cold dawn tinted the snowy slopes of Mount Ararat. Across the just-waking city of Yerevan, the majesty of this biblical mountain grew ever larger as morning sun glinted off the sides of the 16,854-foot peak. And, in the Book it is written, “in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4). Keep reading.
Resources: Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
Read a reflection about genocide and justice by a Syrian Armenian pastor, the Rev. Serop Megerditchian. Download Just 0r Unjust Life? A Resource for Reflection.
Read a series from Facing History and Ourselves: "Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: The Genocide of the Armenians"
Read a history of the Armenian genocide.
Jinishian Jottings
Read the newsletter
JMP's informative newsletter for Presbyterian and Armenian congregations and communities offers the opportunity to learn about the work of JMP, to hear the stories of the people we serve and to find out ways to join JMP in partnership. We welcome your suggestions for the newsletter on themes or topics of interest to you that may fit into the framework of JMP’s work. Please let us know your address if we do not already have it on file.
The fall 2011 issue lifts up success stories that enhance the meaning of Thanksgiving.
Continue readingChanging Lives at Summer Camp
by Ani Cholakian
Campers enjoying game time. Photo by Ani Cholakian.
Jinishian Memorial Program’s (JMP) summer camps offer poverty-stricken children a positive, fun and safe environment, a respite from their onerous lives. In 2010, JMP Syria organized three summer camps for children from Aleppo, Damascus and Kamishly. More than 100 children ages 9 to 13 participated in the camps. While emphasizing safety and having fun, campers learn life skills, gain independence and make lasting friendships. Among other things, the camps teach children how to cope with stress and anxiety and help build their problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Download a video about the summer camp in Kamishly, Syria
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From left to right: Cynthia White, Carolyn McLarnan and Marie Haratunian visit with a farmer. Photo by Victor Makari.
Jinishian Commission Visits Armenia: Reflections of a Commission Member
by Cynthia E. White, JMP Commission Member, Coordinator, Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People
Armenia is one of the oldest civilizations and the first in the world to officially accept Christianity as its state religion. It is a nation desperately trying to survive, trying to overcome its tragic history. It is a nation fighting for independence, democracy and a brighter future. The spirit of the Armenian people and the nation’s determination create the potential to pull the country out of an endless cycle of mediocrity and on to a course of economic and political growth.
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