On August 6, 2013, the United States Ambassador to Armenia, John A. Heffern, Mrs. Libby Heffern, and members of the Embassy’s Helping Hands organization joined the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) in the village of Ujan (Aragatsotn Region) to build the home of the Aleksanyan family, currently living in substandard and poor conditions.

The U.S. Embassy and FCHA have partnered on home builds since 2008. Every year, staff of the U.S. Embassy works together with FCHA’s local and international volunteers. This partnership demonstrates a unique collaboration that is focused on helping people in need. This year, members of the Embassy’s Helping Hands organization and FCHA assisted the Aleksanyan family, including the father, the mother, and their four children, ages 15, 14, 4 and 3, the embassy said in a press release.

“The U.S. Embassy’s Helping Hands group was delighted to join the Fuller Center for Housing today to assist the Aleksanyan family in the village of Ujan. It was gratifying to see first-hand the good work that Fuller does for needy Armenians and to make a modest contribution to that effort. Helping Hands is a volunteer community service group, through which Armenians and Americans from the Embassy work together on a variety of projects”, said the United States Ambassador to Armenia, John A. Heffern.

FCHA President Ashot Yeghiazarian stated, “We are all united in our conviction and dedication to making a difference in the lives of people who are in need of a decent house. This is a basic human right that is vital in everyone’s life. On August 6, we were honored that Ambassador & Mrs. Heffern, along with members of the Embassy’s Helping Hands organization worked with us to build the Aleksanyan’s dream home, creating a strong foundation for a happy and stable Armenian family.”