American Latvian Association Continues Charitable Work
On Friday, October 4 at the Riga Motor Museum, ALA and WFFL board members participated in the annual Children’s Fund of Latvia scholarship and financial assistance ceremony. Thanks to multiple generous donors from the U.S., through its “Cooperation with Latvia” program, ALA has been able to support large families, children with special needs and students in Latvia for 25 years.
Currently Kaija Petrovska is the director of the “Cooperation with Latvia” program. The following is an excerpt from her address to attendees of the scholarship presentation ceremony:
I was born in the U.S., where my parents and grandparents arrived as refugees during World War II, when the Soviet army was approaching Latvia. Arriving in a strange land, nothing was easy. They needed to find a place to live, a job – which paid 50 cents an hour – but my parents did not complain. They wanted us to have the opportunity to buy the same shoes as American children, so that we could learn in the same schools and ensure a better life for our own children.
But also, living in a foreign land, there were always people that helped Latvian refugees find homes, work, and means of getting by. And then the time came when our fellow Latvians in the U.S. realized that they wanted to help those in Latvia, who, due to various circumstances, did not have enough resources to meet a certain standard of living.
The American Latvian Association was established in 1951 – it is the largest U.S. Latvian organization, is made up of more than 5000 members and approximately 120 organizations. The “Cooperation with Latvia” office was established in 1994 and began yearly support for those needing assistance.
The “Cooperation with Latvia” office receives a donation that is meant for only one goal – the longevity of the Latvian people. Since 1994, we provide regular, 2-year support for Latvian families with multiple children, orphans – both for ensuring a certain standard of living, as well as providing for education. This support is only made possible by donations from Latvian-Americans and from bequests that are allocated to this particular mission. We have partnered with the Children’s Fund of Latvia for many years.
I am happy to report that this year we are able to support 42 large families, 3 children with special needs, and 21 students.