Mission statement
Estonian American Fund for Economic Education, Inc. was founded in January 1990 to take advantage of the opening provided by perestroika to broaden contacts and address needs in Estonia the very existence of which had been denied during the 50 years of Soviet occupation.
At the time the U. S policy favoured democratization and economic reforms while promoting the territorial integrity of the Soviet Union. Accordingly, the Fund first concentrated on economics, then a "politically correct " approach. As the bylaws permit a broad range of activity, the Fund soon got involved in healthcare, general welfare, education, training economists and statisticians, developing nonprofit organizations, supporting youth-oriented voluntary services.
The Fund works on the basis of projects. Anyone is welcome to propose a project. Execution depends on a verified need and trustworthy partners in Estonia, and personal commitment of effort, expertise and resources on the part of volunteers in the United States.
Lugupeetud Eesti sõbrad ja toetajad!
Hea on kuulda stipendiaatide edust. Kolm aastat tagasi tipphinnete ning kuldmedaliga gümnaasiumi lõpetanud Ain Neuhaus vääris kõrge tunnustuse,“first degree” arstiteaduses Oxfordi Ülikooli Somerville Kolledz’ilt. Järgneb neli aastat doktorantuuri ning kolm aastat residentuuri. Erialaks on insuldi uuring.
Tänu annetuste kasvule ning Gretel Ups’i pärandusele sai Fond rahuldada 2011.a. abipalveid $135,385 suuruses, kaks kolmandikku rohkem kui 2010.a.
2012.a. selgus, et Tiina Mähar McNally pärandas Fondile $500,000. Sama suure päranduse osalisteks olid Estonian Christian Ministries ja ERKÜ. Fondi peale mõtlesid oma testamendis ka Herta Westlund ning Gretel Ups.
2012.a. esimese üheksa kuu jooksul eraldas Fond toetusteks $155,000.
Silmapaistva projekti alustas Korp! Indla , et toetada Eesti Vähiliidu rinnavähi ennetamise programmi. Selle heaks laekus $8500, mida Eesti Vähiliit tänuga kviteeris.
Andreas ja Elmerice Traksi nimelise stipendiumide rahastamiseks kanti üle $30,000. Illenzeeri Fondile, mis asutati toetamaks langenud või katastrofaalselt vigastatud Eesti Kaitsevägede veteranide lapsi või perekondi, saadeti $15,000.
Tartu Kristlikule Noortekodu taotlus rahuldati täies ulatuses, $27,000. Tallinna Peeteli koguduse sotsiaalkeskus sai $10,000. Haapsalu Lastekodu taotlus uutes hoonetes mängutubade sisustamiseks rahuldati täismahus, $10,000. Kohila lastekeskus taotles ja sai $5000. Stipendiumideks on 2012.a. esimese üheksa kuu jooksul väljastatud $61,450.
Uudised Eestist viitavad kestvale kasinuse majanduspoliitikale. Võimalik, et taotlusi laekub tulevaasta rohkem. Fond teeb parima täitmaks neid, mis vastavad USA maksuameti nõuetele.
Suur tänu kuldsüdametele!
Dear friends of Estonia!
The best news this year about scholarship recipients is the the First Degee in medicine earned by Ain Neuhaus from Oxford University’s Somerville College. He will embark on a Ph.D. program for four years, followed by a three-year residency. He expects to focus on stroke-related research. Ain completed his secondary education in Estonia with the highest honors.
We increased assistance in 2011 by 67 percent, to $135,385.
The momentum carried over into 2012. The first nine months saw our grant total rise to $155,000.
We received a bequest of $500,000 from Tiina M. McNally. She bequithed the same amount to the Estonian Christian Ministries and to the Estonian National Council in the U.S. Herta Westlund and Gretel Ups also remembered the Fund in their wills.
So far in 2012 the Fund has disbursed $27,000 to the Tartu Christian Adolescents’ Home; $15,000 to the Carolin Illenzeer Foundation that provides assistance to the orphans and family members of the Estonian Defence Forces that have lost their lives or suffered catastrophic injuries in the course of deployments abroad; $10,000 to the Haapsalu Childrens’ Home to furnish playrooms in the new buildings that replace the ones lost t to a catastrophic fire last year; $5,000 to the Kohila Children’s center.
The sorority Indla collected $8500 that the Fund forwarded to the Estonian Cancer Society for their early breast cancer detection program.
Scholarship awards are headed for a record. In addition to the $61,450 granted up to now, we expect further awards later this year. The Tartu University Foundation runs the selection process and the Fund makes the final selection.
The uneasy economic situation and the austerity policy in Estonia give us reason to expect further increases in assistance requests in 2013.
We gratefully appreciate your generosity!
