EURASIA FOUNDATION AND PHILIP MORRIS UKRAINE LAUNCH COMMUNITY CENTERS FOR ELDERLY
Eurasia Foundation, Kyiv office, Ukraine
Monday, November 12, 2007

KYIV- Philip Morris Ukraine and Eurasia Foundation's Kyiv Regional Office presented today six Community Centers for the Elderly launched in Kharkiv.

The Centers were established in the municipal social services offices to assist the elderly and retired citizens of Kharkiv. The Centers will pursue two key objectives:

[1] render social, counseling and legal services; [2] create opportunities for the elderly to connect with their peers through networking and social activities.

Four local NGOs were selected through an open competition to launch and manage the Centers: Civil organization UNITY; AMMA Association; PROMIN Charity; Hesed-Shaare-Tikva Charity. The Centers operate in
6 districts of Kharkiv.

Eurasia Foundation is providing partial financing with support from USAID and administers the program. The Kharkiv City Council and participating NGOs provide in-kind services and nfrastructure.

"Helping communities address their needs is more effective with both citizen and local government participation," said Eurasia Foundation Regional Vice President Andy Wilson. "Getting the local government involved is key to success and sustainability."

The principal financing of the program of US$ 100,000 was made possible through Board Allocated Contributions of Altria Group Inc. - parent company of Philip Morris International and its affiliates including Philip Morris Ukraine.

"Philip Morris Ukraine has been part of the Kharkiv Community for over 10 years. We are strongly committed to investing not only into our business operations but also into the welfare of the community we belong to.

This program, which unites efforts of the local NGOs, business and government confirms out commitment" said Konstantin Riabenko, Corporate Affairs Director of Philip Morris Ukraine.

The Community Centers Program is the third Eurasia Foundation program co-funded by Philip Morris Ukraine and implemented in Kharkiv.

LINK: http://www.eurasia.kiev.ua/eng/newss/index.php\?sub_part=15&o=125