A Brief History

Warm Hearth, the first long-term group home in the Republic of Armenia, opened in January of 2006 and provides long-term rehabilitative care to orphaned individuals with disabilities or mental illness who have outgrown the orphanages. Warm Hearth is operated by the Armenian nonprofit, Jermik Ankyun (“Warm Hearth”) Foundation and supported by US nonprofit, Friends of Warm Hearth, Inc.

The story behind this home is one of love and commitment to eight orphans from Kapan, Armenia. Former Peace Corps Volunteer and Founder, Natalie Bryant Rizzieri, lived and worked for two years at an orphanage in Kapan, and after spending nearly each day with the first residents of Warm Hearth was informed that they were to be sent away to the state psychiatric institutions.

In the former Soviet nation of Armenia, having a disability was deeply shameful for the individual and their family. The tendency during these years was to send this vulnerable population to an institution (either an orphanage or psychiatric hospital) where they would be “out of sight”. As a result, Armenia’s population with special needs still struggle to recover a sense of value and dignity and are more often than not, placed in institutions that can not properly care for them.

Individuals who would be integrated into society and live full lives in the United States are being forced to spend the remainder of their lives wasting away in government-run psychiatric institutions (even if they only have mild physical disabilities). These institutions are hopeless places that are cold in winter, without sufficient food and without the resources to care for the patients. After working and living side-by-side with the orphans in Kapan, and with the support of many people, our founder decided that she must make an honest attempt to create an alternative for these individuals. Another former Peace Corps volunteer, Bridget Anderson, who had served in Kapan joined the project in its early stages and remains committed as a board member.

Warm Hearth was birthed through the initial vision to provide happiness and peacefulness for the orphans in Kapan. Through profound mercies, this vision has been realized one small step at a time, and continues to expand and extend to other individuals with similar needs.

Our first home is in the outskirts of Yerevan and continues to provide care to our initial eight residents from Kapan. In 2008, we welcomed a second group of residents into this home after renovating our 3rd floor. In this home, all our residents are offered the holistic care that they deserve, rehabilitation opportunities, love, support and safety. The hope is that they will be able to re-enter mainstream community life slowly but surely.

Warm Hearth is the FIRST long-term group home in Armenia. Jermik Ankyun (“Warm Hearth”) Foundation is responsible for implementing the project and the day-to-day oversight of the home. Additionally, the Directors of Friends of Warm Hearth, Inc. provide oversight and visit the home on a regular basis to monitor and develop the program.

The Armenian government has recognized Warm Hearth as a pilot program. If effective, there is a chance that the government will begin the movement away from institutionalized care for individuals with disabilities and allow for private community-based homes and facilities to provide more individualized care. Warm Hearth group home is a new idea but one with promise in a nation like Armenia.

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