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 Erica and I were married on December 31, 2004. During our engagement, we discussed the possibility of adopting a baby, regardless of whether we were able to have children of our own. We both felt one of the most selfless acts we could do was give an orphaned child the opportunity for a new life. Because I am of Armenian heritage, we decided to adopt from Armenia.
Adopting a child is not an uncomplicated process. Throughout 2005 we went through "home study" and various levels of domestic governmental approval. In July 2005, we traveled to Armenia to help with a summer camp hosted by the Our Lady of Armenia Center. While there, we visited several orphanages and saw Liliana for the first time - three months old at the time. We submitted our dossier to the Armenian government in the fall of 2005. We received our preliminary approval in December 2005 and our final approval in March 2006. We brought Liliana home on April 23, 2006!
After having seen the conditions of the orphanages in Armenia, my wife and I created the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR), Inc. in the fall of 2005, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian relief to orphaned children living in Armenia. Our modest mission is to distribute much needed food, clothing, medicine, toys, educational supplies, and other goods and services to orphanages throughout Armenia. Between October 2005 and March 2006, we filed all of the necessary corporate documents, assembled an experienced and talented Board of Directors, and recruited a network of partners in Armenia to assist us with overseeing distributions to the orphanages. It has been an amazing experience and one that we hope will ultimately have a monumental impact on the orphanages in Armenia for many years to come.
George S. Yacoubian, Jr., Ph.D.
President
Erica Yacoubian, M.P.T.
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