2014
CHARITY ORGANIZATION SERBS FOR SERBS
Monthly Report for January www.serbsforserbs.org
Monthly Report No. 1 January, 2014 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 January 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) S) 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 of gifts under section 2055, 21 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 informationn 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, amo among us, the blind and deaf. We are witnesses of the bad demographic situation of our nation, decreasing natality, increasing number of singles, abortions, accelerated aging of
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014 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 thee 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 ng 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 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 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!
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Charity organization Serb Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January 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. What are our long term goals? • family is ready to support itself daily and manage to pay all required expenses; • 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.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014 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 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 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 January
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LARGE DONATION OF BOOKS ARRIVED TO KOSMET
Thanks to the donation of the Belgrade Fair, and the donors from Belgrade, respectively, a large contingent of books was delivered on Kosovo and Metohija, and was later distributed to the school and church libraries across southern Serbian province. We want to express our gratitude to the Eparchy charity organization Majka devet Jugovica for the help during the transport and delivery of the donation.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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CHRISTMAS GIFT PACKAGES AND NEW VISITS
Members of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs from Novi Sad visited on January 4 families Danjek, Novakovic and Vujakovic in Backa, with the aim of delivering them the Christmas packages and getting to know their situation.
The first family we visited was family Danjek in Ravno Selo, whom we have been helping for a while. We built a bathroom for the family last year. On this occasion we only paid a short visit to deliver gift packages. We didn’t announce our visit, so that the children would be surprised and they were thrilled.
After family Danjek, we visited family Novakovic from Doroslov. The family consists of parents Mile (stepfather) and Nikoleta and the children Predrag (16), Alisa (10), Aleksandra (10) and Matija (8).
They live as subtenants, and pay a rent of 30 €. The owner of the house is selling it for 3.000 €. The only job they have is a wage during the summer. The family is one of the tidiest we ever met. Their attitude is that the lack of money is no excuse for negligence.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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Their biggest problem is related to the house, because they have no permanent income. They also need beds for the children and closets. The family could be engaged in agriculture. They have some poultry at the moment.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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After visiting family Novakovic, we went to Sombor to visit family Vujakovic.
It is an eleven-member family, which consists of father Savo, mother Jelica, and their children: Dragan (19), Sinisa (18), Milica (18), Srdjana (17), Slavica (16), Miljana (13), Bozana (11) and Savo (10). This family also pays rent, 70 € per month. Their income consists of the social benefit in the amount of 18.000 dinars.
All the children go to school and they are good pupils. We donated seven gift packages for them full of sweets, toys and memory games.
The mother is very sick, and she can’t work. She has had two heart attacks, and she is a diabetic. Her health condition requires permanent treatment. The family needs a house, and we understood that the house in the outskirts of Sombor can be found for 5.000 €. A few years ago a benefactor bought them a house, but due to the unresolved proprietary relations, they never moved in, and that issue is brought before the court. That house is in bad condition. The family needs a lot of things, but clothing for the children above all.
We managed to organize the action of donating gift packages with the help of our friends from the foundation Osmeh na dar, to whom we are very grateful.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014
NEW BATHROOM FOR FAMILY DJORDJEVIC
After the bathroom was built Vesna and Zvonko Djordjevic Members of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited in the middle of January a five-member family Djordjevic from the village Straza in the municipality Gnjilane on Kosovo and Metohija. Parents Zvonko and Vesna have three children, Danijela (20), Zvezdana (19) and Dusan (17). During our last visit on October, we promised to build and equip them a bathroom within the charity project Trojka iz bloka. We managed to finish the bathroom a few weeks ago. Total price of the material and works was 233.000 dinars ($2,500).
Serbs for Serbs visiting family Djordjevic before the bathroom was built Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEODOROVICS' HOME
Unfortunately, almost all members of this family are more or less mentally ill, and they live in terrible conditions without water, electricity and elementary necessities. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs in cooperation with the Center for social work from Lopare and a good friend of the organization, Mr. Vasilije Obrenovic, successfully commenced works on the house for the six-member family Teodorovic from the village Bobretina brda on Majevica in the Lopare municipality (Republic of Srpska), in the total amount of 3.900 â‚Ź collected on the charity evening in Canada.
Old house of family Todorovic
The biggest problem in new home of family Teodorovic is humidity and bad isolation.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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Members of the family Teodorovic are parents Radisav and Jadranka, their son Jovo (16) and daughters Danica (14) and Stojanka (11), as well as uncle Stojan. After the transfer of money from Canada, the first contigent of the construction material arrived. It consisted of lime, cement, sand, isolation material, outside and inner doors and electro material for the inner installation. The municipality Lompare actively participated.
Unfortunately, the problem with water and electricity is currently unsolvable. They bring the water from the well a few miles away from the house, while the electricity was cut off due to the unpaid debts. The estimated expenses for digging the well near the house, 10 meters deep, is about 1.500 â‚Ź, and there would be additional expenses for the material and the workers. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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CHRISTMAS ACTION ON KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
The family Jevtic has five sons: Radenko (18), Zeljko (17), Veljko (14), Rados (12) and Mitar (10). They received a new freezer and an electric stove. Within the traditional Christmas action, member of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited the enclaves on Kosovo and Metohija. We visited and helped nine families, of which seven were visited at the end of 2013, when we plan to help them. We used this opportunity, together with the organization Majka devet Jugovica to deliver the aid we promised which consisted of the following: • electric stove • freezer • 10 beds • 6 wood-burning stoves • 2 washing machines • a package of groceries Total amount of the delivered help was 454.940 dinars.
After that, we delivered the help in the region of Kosovo Pomoravlje, and the first out of two families we visited in the village Labjane was the four-member family Filic.
The first family we visited was a returnee family of Zarko Jevtic from the martyr village Zac near Istok. With the help of the fraternity from the monestery Visoki Decani, we conducted the action for this sevenmember family. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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The family consists of parents Sinisa and Sonja and children Luka (3), and Nevena (eight months old). For this young couple we delivered two beds and a woodburning stove.
In the village Izvor we visited family Stojkovic. Parents Jagos and Danijela live with their two years old son Andrija and Luka, who is two mounts old. They live in a difficult situation, so we delivered two beds, a washing machine and a wood-burning stove.
In the neighborhood village, we visited the six-member family Savic, consisting of grandmother Ruza and grandfather Dobri, sons Srecko and Dalibor, Dalibor's wife and children Bojana (5) and Lazar (1). We delivered identical help as with the previous family – two beds and a wood-burning stove.
Family Ristic, whom we visited next, lives in slightly better conditions. We delivered a bed and a woodburning stove for them. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
Our first day was finished by visiting the family of Ivan Ivkovic from the village Straza. The family has three sons: Lazar (24), Milos (22) and Bojan (18). This family is about to become a cooperative, because Lazar and Milos live with their wives. Since we didn't visit the family earlier during the Christmas action, we wanted to establish their needs.
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We agreed to purchase the material for the upper store of the house, and for the hydro isolation since they also need a bathroom.
The parents sleep in a mattress in the unfinished room, so that the sons could have more space. We will try to solve this poor situation in the shortest possible time, so that Lazar and Milos could have their children.
We first met the family in 2009. during the Christmas action which was conducted then, and we delivered a refrigerator and two beds for them. Those beds are not in that good condition anymore, and now there are some new members of the family, so they asked us to get them another bed. The situation is very difficult, because the family lives in one room, which is not suitable for Lazar and Milos who just got married and found their own families.
We used the opportunity to visit a five-member family Djordjevic (near the monestery Draganac). During our visit in October we promised to build them a bathroom, and we succeded that a few weeks ago. After we checked the bathroom, we visited the monastery. On day of Epiphany, after the liturgy in the Gracanica monastery, we visited family Petrovic, whose story is perhaps one of the saddest which we met during our charity work. A few years ago in Gracanica, the father of the family killed his wife, and then himself, leaving three boys who were then two, six and seven years old.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
The boys are a bit older now. Strahinja (10), Mihailo (8) and Nemanja (5) live in their family home under the guardianship of their uncle. Their income consists of the pension of their father. Their situation is quite specific. Any help, other than building a new home, would be worthless, so we decided, together with our friends from “Majka devet Jugovica� organization to follow the situation, start an action which would include other individuals and institutions, and take part when the concrete project arises.
We delivered a package of groceries and some sweets for the boys.
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We finished the delivery of help by visiting the village Janjina near Obilic. We haven't visited the village before. It is located next to the thermal power plant, and it is known for the kidnapping of Serbs during and after the conflict in 1999. The family of a single mother Gordana Ristic, who lives with her two daughters Tanja (8) and Sanja (11) received three beds and a wood-burning stove.
Nearby we delivered help for a single mother Daliborka Vukadinovic, who lives with four children: Miljan (18), Sava (16), Mirjana (14) and AranĂąel (10). We delivered a washing machine and a woodburning stove to this family. The Christmas action for the families on Kosovo and Metohija was only partially finished, although we successfully delivered 10 pieces of household appliances and 10 beds. We will raise the funds and provide connectors for tractor for several families in the next few weeks. Those families will become more independent and be able to survive. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs, according to its possibilities, will try to focus its help to the Serbian families south of Ibar on improving agriculture and development of cattle breeding, or any other form of production, because it is the only way to enable our people to stay on Kosovo and Metohija. Please donate to that end.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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CHRISTMAS ACTION IN HERZEGOVINA
Family Jankovic Family Radisic Within the Christmas activities of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs, a project of helping two families from the Mostar area has been realized. Families Radisic from the village Hodbina and Jankovic from Mostar received help in the total amount of 505 â‚Ź.
Charity association Dobrotvor was the coordinator of the project, and it conducted the action with the help of the volunteer Milos Janjic. A six-member family of Sreta and Nikolina Radisic received an electric stove, while the children Eva (7), Ljuba (6), Rade (4) and Uros (1) received sweets. The help was more than welcome. After that, we delivered help for the four-member family of Zoran and Natasa Jankovic. We provided insulation material for the roof. The youngest members Zana (11) and Lana (8) received a package of sweets.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
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CHRISTMAS SERBS FOR SERBS ACTION IN KORENICA
Members of the Panic family are parents Milan and Milanka and their children Milena (21), Nevenka (18), Dragan (17) and Milos (13). We have helped this family several times before, and now we provided a combined refrigerator for them, which should make their everyday life easier.
In the scope of the big Christmas action, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs helped several families from the area of Krajina. Our first report is about the help in Korenica, where we visited two families: Panic and Suput. The total amount of help was 600 â‚Ź. Dusan Suput near new washing machine Family Suput consists of parents Zeljko and Olivera and their sons Aleksandar (21) and Dusan (15). This was one of our visits in a row to this family. This time we brought a washing machine for them.
The youngest Milos Panic with his new refrigerator
Mother Olivera Suput
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014
PAST 2013 WAS TOP YEAR FOR THE SERBS FOR SERBS
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SERBS FOR SERBS HELPED IN THE RASKA AREA Charity organization Serbs for Serbs continued its hard work on helping the endangered families across the Balkan in 2013, which will be noted as a top year considering the delivered help and the total amount of the donations. We use this opportunity to thank all the donors and friends of the organization worldwide, who enabled us to help over 110 endangered families with approximately 600 children. …………………………………………………………
FIREWOOD FOR FAMILY PEJIC
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs helped family Djordjevic from the Raska area in the scope of the Christmas action. We provided a washing machine and a couch for the family in the amount of 38.490 dinars. Members of the family are grandmother Dragica, a single mother Vesna and her children – sons Malisa (21) and Milan (17) and daughters Svetlana (15) and Ivanka (11).
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs successfully finished first phase of the help to the refugee family Pejic from Gornji Tavankut near Subotica, whom we visited during the summer. The family consists of father Stevan (57), mother Milena (48), daughter Milica (24) and sons Slobodan (22), Miroslav (20) and Nemanja (18). SfS provided 10m3 of firewood in the amount of 44.000 dinars. We are currently finishing the bathroom, in the scope of the project „Trojka iz bloka“. The bathroom will be finished for the forthcoming Christmas and New Year.
We hope that our help will enable them to overcome the difficult period and make their everyday life easier.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014
SERBS FOR SERBS CHARITY SHOP
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January Donors in January: 1. Compass Fuel donation box (IL) - $ 27 2. Balkan Bakery donation box (IL) - $ 15 3. Beograd CafĂŠ donation box (IL) - $ 72 4. Dani's Deli donation box (IL) - $ 25 5. St. Nikola, Brookfield d.box (IL) - $ 136 6. Dan Kovacevic (IL) - $ 25 7. Milos Joncic (NY) - $ 25 8. Rajna Rakanovic - $ 25 9. Serbosi (CAN) - $ 415 10. Marcus Smolanovich - $ 500 11. www.cikaskisrbi.com - $ 25 12. Ljiljana Trkulja - $ 100 13. Vlado Pjesivac (TN) - $ 50 14. Nevena Cvjetkovic (FL) - $ 25 15. Zeljka Bucalo (NV) - $ 25 16. Nemanja Lovre (CA) - $ 100 17. D i N (CAN) - $ 15 18. Milan Dobras (AZ) - $ 15 19. Tihomir Bajic (CA) - $ 100 20. Slav Karach (GA) - $ 25 21. Aleksandar Mihajlovic (CAN) - $ 60 22. Ivan Aksentijevich (MD) - $ 25 23. Ricky Hernandez (IL) - $ 30 24. Ivan Radulovic (NY) - $ 25 25. Nikolina Burilo (IL) - $ 15 26. Aleksandar Zivanovic (NV) - $ 50 27. Irena Gumbert (CA) - $ 25 28. Aleksandar Micic (MO) - $ 15 29. Aleksandar Djuricic - $ 10 30. Radmila Avlijas (CAN) - $ 15 31. Vesna Kozomara (IL) - $ 25 32. Snezana Ivkovic (CAN) - $ 30 33. Sasa Lazarevic (IL) - $ 30 34. Milen Tesic (IL) - $ 20 35. Maja Kisa - $ 50 (Valley of the sun United Way) 36. Predrag Kisa - $ 50 (Valley of the sun United Way) 37. Vladimir Davidovic - $ 20 38. B. Bojanic (CA) - $ 15 39. Ivan Aksentijevic (MD) - $ 25 40. Olja Meyer (NY) - $ 15 41. Emina Ivetic - $ 30 42. Slavojla Jovic - $ 100
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014 43. Denis Rajcevic - $ 100 44. Dragisa Djordjevic (MD) - $ 15 45. Ankica D. (NJ) - $ 25 46. Sasa Savic (TX) - $ 25 47. Marta Stojanovic (CAN) - $ 25 48. Nina & Maksim Krsmanovic(VA)- $50 49. Sinisa Peric (MD) - $ 25 50. Srdjan Markovic (CA) - $ 25 51. Sinisa Peric (MD) - $ 50 52. Dragana W. - $ 25 53. Serbosi Kanada (CAN) - $ 450 ______________________
TOTAL IN JANUARY: $ 3,240
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014
DONATIONS IN 2014 7000 $ 6000 $ 5000 $ 4000 $ $ 3.240 3000 $ 2000 $ 1000 $ $
NUMER OF DONORS IN 2014. 80 70 60 53 50 40 30 20 10 0
Charity organization Serb Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for January
www.serbsforserbs.org 2014
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