Supervisors OK Funds for Armenian Groups

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has voted to allocate more than $1 million in federal refugee assistance grants to three Armenian relief agencies in Glendale and Hollywood. The Department of Health and Human Services grant will enable the private, nonprofit agencies to expand their English-language classes and to provide acculturation services to new emigres.

The money was awarded to Los Angeles County by the health department in July, but allocation of the funds to specific agencies was contingent on board approval.

County refugee service officials applied for the money in 1988, when more than 19,000 Soviet Armenian refugees settled in Los Angeles County. More than 12,000 additional Soviet emigres have settled in the county this year, county officials said.

Under the terms of the grant, the Glendale-based Armenian Relief Society will receive $385,000, the Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center in Hollywood will receive $385,000, and the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church will receive $250,000. The money is expected to reach the service agencies within a month.