2013
CHARITY ORGANIZATION SERBS FOR SERBS
Monthly Report for May www.serbsforserbs.org
Monthly Report No. 5 May, 2013 Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS Website: www.serbsforserbs.org E-Mail: office@serbsforserbs.org
Monthly Report for May Dear friends and donors, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs registered in the state of Illinois in United States in Jun 2010 by the group of the Serbian youth. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is a 501(c)(3) notfor-profit profit charitable organization. Donation is tax-deductible deductible to the extent followed by the law. On 30th September, 2011 we finally nally got the letter from department of the treasury (IRS) with tax exempt 501(c)3 approval. All donations to our organization donated from June 16, 2010 are tax deductible under section 170 of the Code. We are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers ansfers of gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code.
About Us The mission of Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is to affect on consciousness of Americans, Serbs and their friends through planned projects, social and humanitarian activities in order to develop and foster better society for future generations and provide aid for underprivileged families in need. Although there are many humanitarian organizations and associations, help often doesn't reach the most jeopardized. Due to unnecessary administration, missing information and slow decision making, the delivery of aid arrives too late to the final consumers, or not at all. It is a sad and embarrassing, but true fact that more than 18.000 children daily die around the world because of starvation and malnutrition. ion. There, among us, the blind and deaf. We are witnesses of the bad demographic situation of our nation, tion, decreasing natality, increasing number of singles, abortions, accelerated aging of
www.serbsforser www.serbsforserbs.org 2013 the population and generally bad economic condition of the households in Serbia, Republic of Srpska and other countries in the Balkan. An average couple has "fallen" on one child. Analysts warn that Serbs will become a minority in its own country in the following century if the nation, individuals and government don't wake up from the nescient in which they've fallen! On the other hand, nobody is talking about the families with many children which grieve by living in bitter poverty. Occupied by their everyday struggle for survival, they are being humbly in their desire for implementing rights which belong to them. Their life stories, fears and problems are identical, but almost invisible and unheard in order to gain the attention of the public, media and even state. That's why the idea of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs arose. The organization rganization was formed by a group gr of young and trustful people, who are united by the common vision of helping families blessed by many children and who are aware of the fact that even a small help means a lot for those who don't live in a material excess. We are united by the humane idea to help the poorest part of the Serbian nation. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs try to revive the spiritless energy of the Serbian Diaspora which would be able to reinforce people of Serbian heritage as well as all good people throughout the world ld with minimal, but bu constant monthly donations. We hope and believe that there is also a grain of doing good and that you will join us in the endless e struggle against poverty. God bless and save all Serbian families with many children and our honored donors who participate in the noble effort to return smile on children faces.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!
www.serbsforserbs.org
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May Ambitions Our mission The mission of Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is to affect on consciousness of Serbian people through our projects and humanitarian activities, in order to develop better society for future generations. Why Serbs for Serbs? We wanted to alleviate impaired spirit of Serbian people in togetherness and brotherhood help through humanitarian work and social aid. Who do we help? We help Serbian families who live in the Balkans, have five or more children and live in terrible poverty. Under terrible poverty we define absence of one or more basic factors required for living: food, clothes, shoes, and safe space for living. Why do we help? We believe that there is a basic need for one human (or a group) to help others in distress. A help is not only human virtue but also a Christian responsibility. By focusing our help on families with many children, we directly affect on their stirring toward becoming independent from socialdependable government programs. Indirectly, we want to affect on birth rate of Serbian people that has been in great decline in last 20 years. What are our long term goals? • family is ready to support itself daily and manage to pay all required expenses and bills; • their children are encouraged to continue with school and raising their own family; • our donors are satisfied with the activities and they are ready to help other families; • our organization is satisfied with the results; • family is ready in the future to become our donor and if necessary help other families that are in need of help. Who do we need in organization? We need members and donors that will secure financial stability through supporting our programs and activities in the future. Donors may
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013 join our daily activities within the organization in order to coordinate our work better. We also need volunteers ready to donate several hours per week for actual work within the organization. Activities of volunteers and their specific tasks would be determined by the required projects and their personal interest. From that group of volunteers we would look for future leaders of organization.
How to donate? 1. PayPal donation: szsamerika@gmail.com 2. Direct Deposit to Wells Fargo Bank account Please email us at: szsamerika@gmail.com 3. You can mail personal or business check to: Serbs for Serbs PO Box 34206 Chicago, IL 60634 4. Donation boxes: BEOGRAD CAFÉ 2937 West Irving Park Road Chicago, Illinois Owner: Dule Pavlovic DANI’S DELI 7316 West Lawrence Avenue Harwood Heights, Illinois SANDY’S BAKERY 5857 West Lawrence Avenue Chicago, Illinois Owner: Slava and Sretena Damjanovic BALKAN BAKERY 541 South LaGrange Road LaGrange, Illinois Owner: Olja Igic COMPASS FUEL STATION 8147 Joliet Road McCook, Illinois Owner: Roy and Maria Dobrasinovic ST. NIKOLA CHURCH 4301 Prairie Ave. Brookfield, Illinois
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May FINISHED BATHROOM FOR FAMILY CETKOVIC
Within the project of building a house for the sixmember family Cetkovic from the village Peljave in the Republic of Srpska, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs finished building and equipping the bathroom in the total amount of 3.200 €. After the bathroom, we will continue in making the house capable for the normal life of this family.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013 SUPPORT FROM THE SERBIAN DIASPORA OFFICE
The Office for cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region of the Republic of Serbia supported the charity-sport project “Trojka iz bloka” of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs , which took place on June 1st in Belgrade and Chicago, and will also be held on June 16th in Kragujevac. …………………………………………………………...
“TROJKA IZ BLOKA 2013” IN THE MEDIA
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
COW FOR FAMILY MARJANOVIC
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited on the last weekend in April a ten-member family Marjanovic in the village near Gornji Milanovac, whom we recently bought a cow in the amount of 131.000 dinars. On this occasion, Sasa told us they are very satisfied, that the cow gives a lot of milk.
Family currently owns two cows, several sows and pigs, sheep and hens, and the children are helping their grandmother in maintaining the household. In Preljine near Cacak we met Milos Gacevic, a seller of the cow, who signed a certificate of receiving money for the cow.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
SFS VISITED FAMILY LUCIC FROM CACAK
Members and friends of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited on April 29 a six-member family Lucic from Cacak. The family consists of the single mother Sladjana and her five children: Stefan (18), who is a talented painter and poem writer, daughters Aleksandra (15), Jovana (10), Bosiljka (9) and the youngest son Dusan, who will turn two by the end of the year.
They will also need school equipment and school backpacks in the autumn, as well as firewood for the winter. The oldest Stefan is picking raspberries during the summer, in order to provide additional income.
Sladjana told us she would like to move to a village, if someone would give them a place to stay. She says they only need a school nearby for the children. In a village they can grow cattle and plant a garden.
As Sladjana told us, father of the children abandoned the family. Their monthly income consists of 9.000 dinars of social benefit and 18.200 dinars until November, when Dusan will turn 2. The biggest problem consists in paying the rent of EUR 120, for the house without any backyard. The electricity debt is about 9.000 dinars. They need food the most, but they could also use a refrigerator, since the one they already have is in a bad condition. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
SPRING TIME WITH FAMILY BALOVIC
After socializing, we all went to see the water pump house, so that the artisans could see what they need else. At the end of April, members and friends of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited a six-member family Balovic from Rogozna near Novi Pazar. The Balovic family moved into a new house, which SfS built and equipped from the donations worldwide. Due to the difficult weather conditions at the end of last year, we agreed with the artisans to finish building a water pump house and the pavement on spring. We also delivered money in the amount of 26.000 dinars (Serbian Brotherhood Help from Canada), which will be used for finishing the planned works.
On our way to Rogozna, we picked up artisan Ranko (builder of the house) and his brother Buda (plumber) in order to make a list of necessary material for the water pump house, and for setting the pavement around the house. The house and the children look clean and tidy. The oldest daughter Verica showed us what she learned at school.
Verica, Veljko, Sara and Kristina thank of all their hearts to all of our donors who enabled them to have a new home, because that is exactly what marked their previous winter.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May SFS IN THE WORKING VISIT TO THE JESIC FAMILY
On Tuesday, April 30, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited an eight-member family Jesic in their temporary home in Prijepolje. The aim of the visit was to get to know the situation together with the people from the local Social Care Center, so that we could find a possible permanent solution for family Jesic.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013 During the visit we used the opportunity to take photos of beds, stove and a chainsaw we provided during the previous year.
We accompanied father Nenad to the Social Care Center, where we met the principal Nail Kajevic and a social worker Dragojla Obradovic. After the conversation, we visited the house on Kolovrat in Prijepolje, which could become the solution to the habitation problem. The owner is selling the house, because he lives abroad, and uses the house several days a year. The house of about 65m2 costs about 12.000 EUR. The house was built seven years ago, it is in good condition, and with the adaptations of the space, it could become a real family home.
We finished the visit to Prijepolje by visiting monastery Mileseva.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
DIMITRIJEVIC WILL GET A BATHROOM SOON
The oldest son, apart from his job, wants to earn extra money by mowing the neighbor’s lawns, but he needs diesel motor for the mower, which costs about 250 EUR. On the last day of April, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited a twelve-member family Dimitrijevic in the municipality Nova Varos, in Raska area. The family never had water nor the bathroom in their house, so complete material for building and equipping the bathroom was provided during the last year within the project „Trojka iz bloka 2013“. We used this opportunity to deliver them help in the amount of 33.000 dinars (Serbian Brothers Help from Canada), which will allow them to speed up the forthcoming construction works.
We picked up the oldest son Predrag from his job, and soon arrived to their house. The material for the bathroom was provided earlier, and they will use the sunny weather for construction. In one of the previous visits, we provided part of the material for the sanitation of the barn. During the summer, the family will build the bathroom and fix the barn.
We call upon all the friends and donors of our organization to support our work in the future, so that we could provide bigger and more concrete help for the endangered Serbian families with more children across the Balkan.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
SERBS FOR SERBS CELEBRATED ST. VASILIJE
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs celebrated on May 12 their slava Saint Vasilije Ostroski in Belgrade. Slava gathered around 50 members of the organization from Serbia, and approximately 50 donors and friends. Consecration of the traditional cake, cereal and wine was organized after the liturgy in the church of Saint Simeon on New Belgrade, and after that we arranged a lunch at the restaurant DoReMi on Vozdovac.
We would like to express our huge gratitude to all our friends of the organization, who graced the celebration, hoping that we will gather even more people in the forthcoming years, so that our help could reach as many families as possible, especially families living on Kosovo and Metohija and Serbian Krajina, as well as in other parts of the Balkan.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
SERBS FOR SERBS SLAVA IN SWITZERLAND
Apart from our active members, several friends and admirers attended slava.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs from Switzerland marked on Sunday, May 12, as the rest of our branches worldwide, slava of Saint Vasilije Ostroski. It was organized in the temple of Saint Cirilo and Metodije in Belp near Bern, and after that, slava was also celebrated in Tun.
SFS Switzerland: Olivera Markovic-Lazarevic, Maja Jovanovic, Nikola Cesarovic and Dusan Djakovic Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
A HOME FOR THE KARANOVIC FAMILY
The Karanovic family from Stari Rakovac (in the municipality of Beocin), near Novi Sad, is another family struggling to provide a normal life for their children. The family of five consists of father Milan (1969), mother Zorica (1973) and children Aleksandar (1995), Dragan (1998) and Slobodan (2002).
Immediately following the fire, clothing, hygiene products and food were collected to help the family. Within days of the fire, the family was fortunate to find a little house nearby, where they could live for free while they reconstructed their damaged home. The Municipality of Beocin, along with a local cement factory, donated cement and other materials needed for this project. Together with Milan Karanovic, Serbs for Serbs found an architect who offered his services for free. A roof was successfully installed before the first snowfall. After that, Serbs for Serbs decided to buy enough wood and exterior wall materials to fully enclose the home while reconstruction work could continue inside during the cold months. At the beginning of April, Serbs for Serbs paid a followup visit to the Karanovic family. The father, Milan, was doing some minor repair work around the house. His next project will be to build and install a kitchen on his own.
The family lived in Vukovar until 1997 when they were forced to leave. They first relocated to Kraljevo and then moved to Rakovac. After managing to raise some money, they started construction of a new home. In 2012, they experienced much hardship, first with the loss of a baby at childbirth, and then the loss of their underconstruction home due to a fire. The Switzerland branch of the Serbs for Serbs Charity Organization, in cooperation with members from the Novi Sad branch, decided to help this family. As well, neighbors and relatives of the Karanovic family joined the call to action.
The Karanovic family is very grateful to the Serbs for Serbs Charity Organization for all its help and support. Serbs for Serbs is pleased to have been able to help the Karanovic family as they struggle to provide stability and a better future for themselves. But the Karanovics, along with many other Serbian families still need our help. Serbs for Serbs, with your support, can see that they get it.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
Donors in May: 1. Compass Fuel donation box (IL) - $ 45 2. Balkan Bakery donation box (IL) - $ 20 3. Sandy's Bakery donation box (IL) - $ 18 4. Beograd CafĂŠ donation box (IL) - $ 38 5. Dani's Deli donation box (IL) - $ 35 6. St. Nikola, Brookfield d.box (IL) - $ 23 7. Dan Kovacevic (IL) - $ 25 8. Sanja Terzic (AZ) - $ 25 9. www.cikaskisrbi.com - $ 25 10. SZS Krajiska Braca (IN) - $ 150 11. Taste of Europe - $ 21 12. Aleksandar Zivanovic (NV) - $ 25 13. Vuk Radovic (Bank of America)- $ 200 14. Maja Kisa (Valley of the sun United Way) - $ 50 15. Predrag Kisa (Valley of the sun United Way) - $ 50 16. Tanja Radovanovic - $ 20 (facebook) 17. Spasoje Stamatoski (CAN) - $ 50 18. Tihomir Bajic (CAN) - $ 100 19. Milan Dobras (AZ) - $ 15 20. Tanja Josipovic - $ 25 21. Slav Karach (GA) - $ 25 22. Radovan Radovic - $ 10 23. Sasa Radovic - $ 15 24. Ivan Aksentijevich (MD) - $ 25 25. Ivan Radulovic (NY) - $ 25 26. Zivko Tatalovic - $ 50 27. Vesna Milesic (CAN) - $ 80 (facebook) 28. Tinka Milosevic (CAN) - $ 30 (facebook) (for Obradovic family) 29. Negica Antonijevic (CAN) - $ 20(facebook) (for Obradovic family) 28. Natasa Samardzic (IL) - $ 100 29. Nikolina Burilo (IL) - $ 15 30. Anonymous - $ 25 31. Aleksandar Micic (MO) - $ 15 32. Irena Gumbert (CA) - $ 25 33. Jelena Kecojevic (CA) - $ 15 34. Radmila Avlijas (CAN) - $ 15 35. Bosko Djurisic - $ 10 (facebook) 36. Olja Meyer (NY) - $ 25 37. Maja Kisa (Valley of the sun United Way) - $ 50 38. Predrag Kisa (Valley of the sun United Way) - $ 50 39. B. Bojanic (CA) - $ 15
40. Pro Star freight system - $ 1,000 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 41. Woodland Transport - $ 500 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 42. International Carrier Enterprises - $ 300 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 43. Marko Transport - $ 300 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 44. Net Tv Plus - $ 300 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 45. ADR Builders - $ 300 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 46. Accolade Design - $ 200 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 47. White City Logistic - $ 200 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 48. Ricardo Hernandez (IL) - $ 25 49. Jovica Vukadin (CAN) - $ 25 50. Dalibor Karabatak (CAN) - $ 30 CAD 51. Dalibor Kalicanin - $ 20 52. Dragisa Djordjevic (MD) - $ 15 53. Anonymous - $ 200 54. Tomislav Pekovic (NY) - $ 10 55. Marta Stojanovic (CAN) - $ 25 56. Nina&Maxim Krsmanovic (NY) - $ 50 57. Vuk Radovic (Bank of America) - $ 200 58. Milan Dakic (AT&T) - $ 4.20 59. Marko Popovic (AT&T) - $ 12 60. Zoran Golubovich (AT&T) - $ 26.45 61. Aleksandra Knezevic (AT&T) - $ 2.08 62. Anonymous (AT&T) - $ 60 63. Silvia Nunez (CVS) - $ 45 64. Srdjan Markovic (CA) - $ 25 65. Beograd Cafe (IL) - $ 300 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 66. Ankica D. (NJ) - $ 25 67. Ivan Mihailovic (CA) - $ 50 68. Sinisa Peric (MD) - $ 25 69. Serbosi Kanada (CAN) - $ 670 70. AV Carriers INC (IL) - $ 300 (Sponsor of "Trojka iz bloka Cikago") 71. Milos Mladenovic - $ 25 ______________________ TOTAL IN MAY: $ 6.868
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforser www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
Donations in 2013. $8000 $7000 $6000 $5000 $4000 $3000 $2000 $1000 $
Number of donors in 2013. 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for May
www.serbsforserbs.org 2013
www.serbsforserbs.org szsamerika@gmail.com
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS