Serbs for Serbs Report November 2015

Monthly Report for November www.serbsforserbs.org 2015

Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634

Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS

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2015

Monthly Report for November

www.serbsforserbs.org

Monthly Report No. 11 November, 2015

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: [email protected]




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) not-for-profit charitable organization. Donation is tax-deductible to the extent followed by the law. On 30th September, 2011 we finally got the letter from department of the treasury (IRS) 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, 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 information 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. There, 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

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 the 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 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 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 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 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!

www.serbsforserbs.org




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 social-dependable 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.

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: [email protected]

2. Direct Deposit to Wells Fargo Bank account Please email us at: [email protected]

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

NADA’S DELI & BAKERY 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

CITY FRESH MARKET 3201 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659




COW FOR FAMILY TASIC FROM KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS in cooperation with the donors of the organization from Canada and EHO “Majka devet Jugovica” from Gracanica has successfully finished another project of help by providing a cow and a calf in the amount of 170.000 dinars for the five-member family Tasic from the Gnjilane village of Stanisor on Kosovo and Metohija. Family Tasic consists of parents Zoran and Ljubica and their three sons: Milos (1993), Marko (1995) and Ivan (1997). The sons are unemployed students, while father Zoran is working for a minimal salary, thus providing the survival of the family.

Delivery of a cow and a calf

Cow for family Tasic

Father Zoran Tasic

We express our special gratitude to the donors from Toronto: - Stanko Pavlovic, - Marko Pavlovic, - Bojan Popic, - Branko Popic, - Sinisa Marjanovic, - Milos Baljozovic, - Vuk Zrnic, - Vid Stambolovic, - Aleksandar Karamarkovic, - Aleksandar Siljo and - Sasa Krsmanovic.




Amount for cow and a calf was 170.000 dinars

Ljubica, Zoran, Marko and Milos Tasic with a cow and

a calf

Thankful family Tasic from Gnjilane village of Stanisor

on Kosovo and Metohija.

We call upon all the donors worldwide to DONATE ON A REGULAR MONTHLY BASIS and thus support this and other projects of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS in order to provide the necessary help to the great number of the socially disadvantaged families and their children as soon as possible.

NO SURRENDER! CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! SERBS FOR SERBS




HELP FOR FAMILY ZELJKOVIC FROM ZEMUN

The sport-charity project “Trojka iz bloka” was held in Zemun on September, 11 for the first time in its four-year long mission of help to the socially disadvantaged families with four and more children throughout Serbia and the Republic of Srpska. We helped the eight-member family Zeljkovic from Zemun in which three generations live – grandfather Bosko, father Milan, mother Sladjana and children Marija (15), Milana (13), Milos (11), Sima (10) and Sara (8). Family Zeljkovic received a donation of electric stove and two double-decker beds with mattresses and drawers to great joy of the youngest, which was a result of a helping hand of their neighbors who participated on the tournament in Zemun. The amount of help was 82.990 dinars.

New stove

Zemun showed to Zeljkovic family they are not alone and that not everyone forgot them. The residents of Zemun made a spectacle for the basketball fans and people of good heart in one of the most beautiful elementary schools in Serbia, at the heart of the sport-educational center of Zemun, in the elementary school “Svetozar Miletic” courtyard. Lovely socializing on the tournament was enriched by the legends of the Zemun sport and art, and the mission of the tournament “Trojka iz bloka” was successfully finished in these days.

The sport-charity project “Trojka iz bloka” is the biggest project of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs, within which we help the families by building or renovating the bathroom but also helping the disadvantaged families in any other form.

New double-decker beds for children of family Zeljkovic

from Zemun




Together with our friends from Zemun we found out about the difficulties of family Zeljkovic which is trying to survive with the grandfather’s retirement and mother’s disability retirement in Zemun in the total amount of 34.000 per month! The father is unemployed, the mother has chronic leukemia, but despite everything, the children are cheerful and smiled and all of them – excellent pupils!

Milana, Sima, Sara and Milos Zeljkovic with their new

beds

The help surely reached the right hands, and we hope to find a way to help these people in the future as well. Children are our future and Zemun is taking care of its children!

Five of the youngest members of the Zeljkovic family received what they needed the most in this moment and that would enable them slightly more comfortable life. They will keep fighting for their successes in life with smile because they know their neighbors are their true friends!

The best season of “Trojka iz bloka” so far was crowned with many successful finished projects. Let us rejoice and wait for more good news from entire Serbia and the Republic of Srpska which encourage us and wake hope for even more successes the following year. Join as well!

The youngest Zeljkovics with the organizers of “Trojka

iz bloka” in Zemun

Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS calls upon all the friends and donors of the organization to get involved in the action of collecting money for helping this and other socially disadvantaged multiple children Serbian families. Become the part of “Trojka iz bloka”! CHILDREN ARE UOR FUTURE! SERBS FOR SERBS




NEW AID DELIVERY IN KOSMET

This fall, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS delivered aid to seven families with children in the area of Kosovo and Metohija. The families were previously visited in mid-May as part of the big Easter action. In Zubin Potok, we helped five families: Stanic (electric stove and two bunk beds with mattresses), Lepovic (upright freezer), Ilic (wood-burning stove and washing machine), Rakic (electric stove and freezer), and Djuric (electrical wiring for their home). In Gorazdevac, we helped two families: Jandzikovic (bed) and Simonovic (three beds and washing machine). We owe big gratitude to the brotherhood of the Viski Decani Monastery, who helped us conduct this action.

Two bunk beds with mattresses and electric stove for

Stanic family

The Stanic family consists of the parents, Dragutin and Vujika, and their six daughters:Dragana (16), Svetlana (14), Stojana (13), Kristijana (11), Nikolina (10), and Valentina (10). We provided them with two bunk beds and an electric stove.

Upright freezer for Lepovic family

Also in Zubin Potok, we provided the single mother Drita Lepovic and her five-year-old son Aleksandar with an upright freezer. Since they were not at home when we delivered the aid, the freezer will be delivered to them soon.




Wood-burning stove and washing machine for Ilic family

Javorinka Ilic from Zubin Potok is a single mother of four: Marina (27), Marinko (26), Marica (24), and Dragica (24). We provided them with a wood-burning stove and a washing machine.

Freezer and electric stove for Rakic family

The single mother Jadranka Rakic and her three children, Nemanja (13), Nino and Nina (5) were provided with a freezer and an electric stove.

Nino (5), Nemanja (13), and Nina (5) Rakic

Djuric family from Crepulja village in Zubin Potok

The Djuric family consists of Zoran and Biljana, and their niece Danijela (24), and nephew Velisa (24) with his wife Tanja (19) and son Stefan (six months old). We provided them with electrical wiring for their new home.

Electrical wiring for new Djuric family home




In Gorazdevac, we helped the family of Ljubomir and Mirjana Jandzikovic, with their children, Ninoslav (21) and Neda (20), who has a developmental disorder. We provided them with a bed.

Tomislav and Dragica Simonovic from Gorazdevac

In the same street, we helped the family of Tomislav and Dragica Simonovic, with their five daughters: Tanja (23), Dijana (21), Krstina (18), Tamara (16) and Teodora (16). Three beds and a washing machine will be of great help to the Simonovic family.

Zubin potok

We call upon all donors worldwide to support this project and numerous other projects of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS by making REGULAR MONTHLY DONATIONS, so that much needed aid would reach a vast number of socially disadvantaged families and their children as soon as possible.




FIREWOOD FOR DARABAN FAMILY FROB BIJELJINA

At the beginning of November, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs helped the seven-member Daraban family from Bijeljina in the Republic of Srpska. Apart from the grandmother, the family consists of the parents, Ilije and Snezana, their daughters Ivana (15) and Dijana (14) and sons Gabrijel (12) and Ilija (10). We helped the Darabans by purchasing 5 cubic meters of firewood for the winter to the total value of 400 BAM.

Children in the Daraban family: Ilija, Ivana, Dijana and

Gabrijel

Last year, when a construction company tried to evict the Daraban family, the mother Snezana, addressed us in a panic effort to protect her four children. Then, with the help of a lawyer from Bijeljina, Mr. Ognjen Avlijas, whose work on this case was a form of a donation to our organization, we stood by this seven-member family.

We managed to save them from ending up in the street then, but we did not come even close to solving their problem. We are still waiting for replies from the city authorities to our numerous letters and requests, which we sent asking for a plan or project which would permanently solve the housing problem of this family, and which we could also join and help with.

House where Daraban family lives

Snezana and her husband are unemployed. Ilije is a construction worker, working for a daily wage. During the winter, he is usually out of work, so they live on 140 BAM of child benefit and 120 BAM of welfare which Snezana’s mother, who lives with them, receives.




The children are growing up in a house without water and bathroom. Ivana (15) is in her first year of secondary school, Dijana (14) is in the eighth grade, Gabrijel (12) is in the sixth grade, and Ilija (10) is in the fifth grade. They are all A and B students and successful athletes.

Last year, we bought them a wood-burning stove, and now five meters of firewood. We delivered these modest donations to them, and now we are all waiting for further developments, because it is certain that someone will try to evict them again, since the location of the house they live in is very tempting. The Darabans are immensely grateful. It is enough for them to know that they are not alone, and that they have someone to go to and ask for help, although we cannot do much for them. They thank us all, but donors the most, because they know that without donors, we, as organization, would not exist. For these children, as well as numerous others we have helped, we are like a family, and we would like to extend our big gratitude to all donors, who enable all this.

Mother Snezana diligently taking wood in their yard

Gabrijel, Dijana and Ivana in their yard beside the

delivered firewood

The Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS calls upon all friends and donors of the organization to join our fundraising action to help this family and other socially disadvantaged Serbian families with multiple children.

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! NO SURRENDER! SERBS FOR SERBS




NEW ROOF ON KAZIC FAMILY HOUSE IN ORAHOVAC

The Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS helped the Kazic family from Orahovac in the area of Kosovo and Metohija. Misko and Katarina Kazic have two children: six-year-old Jovan and two-year-old Nikolina. They were previously visited in mid-May as part of the big Easter action. Then we agreed on replacing the dilapidated roof on the family house, which had been leaking. The rest of the news provides the photos of putting up the new roof construction on the Kazic family house.

Happy and content - Jovan and Nikolina Kazic





23 TONS OF FLOUR FOR PUBLIC KITCHENS

On Thursday, November 12, in the joint action “Flour for public kitchens on Kosovo and Metohija” of the charity organizations “Friends of Decane”, KUD “Sloga” from Vicenza (Parish of St. Luke from Vicenza with bishop Andrej) and the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS, an amount of 23,3 tons of flour has been delivered for the needs of public kitchens on Kosovo and Metohija which are providing daily meals for over 2.000 most disadvantaged people.

Thanks to all the friends who were engaged in collecting charity, both associations and individuals from Italy, we successfully collected 4.500 EUR of donations for this project. These means enabled buying of flour in the amount of 23 tons and 350 kg. Flour was bought from the mill “Zito-Backa” Ltd. Kula and delivered to the warehouse of public kitchens on Kosovo and Metohija without any problem.

Discharging flour for public kitchens

Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS calls upon all the donors worldwide to SUPPORT new big projects of help to the Serbian people on Kosovo and Metohija in order to stay and survive on its ancestral homes. NO SURRENDER! SERBS FOR SERBS




NEW BARN FOR FAMILY MILETIC FROM KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS helped family Miletic from the Opraske village, Istok municipality on Kosovo and Metohija. The only Serbian family in the village, consisting of Petko and Snezana Miletic and their two children Tamara (10) and Lazar (9) has been previously visited at mid-May within the big Easter action. During that visit we agreed with the host to build him a barn of approximate value of 3.500 EUR, and the money for the project was provided from the branch of Charity organization Serbs for Serbs from Germany. The works on building and equipping the barn for family Miletic can be seen hereinafter.

Snezana and Petko Miletic with their children Tamara

and Lazar

Beginning of works on the barn

Making columns and beams in the new barn




Setting of the roof construction

Concreting and equipping of the barn

Hard-working host Petko Miletic

NO SURRENDER! CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!

Setting carpentry

New barn for family Miletic from Opraske village from

Kosovo and Metohija

We call upon all the donors worldwide to support this and other numerous projects of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS through REGULAR MONTHLY DONATIONS so that necessary help could reach the great number of socially disadvantaged families and their children as soon as possible.




FINISHED WORKS ON THE KINDERGARTEN IN ORAHOVAC

Children and kindertgarten teachers

Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is happy to announce that the works on replacing the dilapidated roof construction in the kindergarten “Nasa radost” in Orahovac on Kosovo and Metohija have been successfully finished prior to the winter! As we have seen during the May visit, the kindergarten for almost 60 children from Orahovac and Velika Hoca is very important for the survival of the Serbian community in this area, because it is the only kindergarten for the Serbian children in this part of Metohija.

We thank the donors from Germany organized via the social networks under the slogan SID (“Serben in Deutschland”) who contributed this wonderful action. The total value of this action is 415,000 dinars.

Kindergarten roof during the visit in May

We express gratitude of children and kindergarten

teachers from the kindergarten “Nasa radost” in

Orahovac

The youngest inhabitants of Orahovac in front of their

renovated kindergarten

Thanks to its donors and friends of the organization, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS will continue to actively support the conduction of both charity and economic projects for helping the Serbian people on this holy and suffering Serbian land. We call upon all the donors worldwide to support this and other numerous projects of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS through REGULAR MONTHLY DONATIONS so that necessary help could reach the great number of socially disadvantaged families and their children as soon as possible. CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! NO SURRENDER!




NEW BATHROOM FOR MAKRENIC FAMILY FROM BORCA

On June 20 and 21, there was a two-day event under the name of “Weekend of the Trojka iz Bloka”, which was part of the “Trojka iz Bloka” Tournaments, and it was held in Palilula. Five months after the event, members of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited the six-member Makrenic family from the Belgrade neighborhood of Borca. The family was provided with a bathroom, which significantly improved their quality of life. Once again, we have shown that there are no impossible things when it comes to the “Trojka iz Bloka” and all the people gathered around it.

This time, the “recipe for success” was applied to the Makrenic family home, which delighted the youngest family members –Jelena (19), Jablan (18), Mihailo (10),andAnastasia (6), but also their parents, Goran and Ksenija. The value of the project was 227,870.69 Dinars.

The Makrenic family lives in very hard living conditions and the new bathroom significantly improved the living conditions for all family members.

One of the rooms in house of family Makrenic

Difficult living conditions in six-member family

Makrenic




Entrance to the new bathroom

Mihailo and Anastasia Makrenic in their new bathroom

We would like to extend our hearty gratitude to our dear sponsors and true friends of the project who are responsible for successfully conducting the eleventh in a row “Trojka iz Bloka” charity action this year:

the Tara motel, companies “I-tech Elite”and “Vellux“, “Auto Kes” auto center, “Easy” exchange office and vehicle registration agency, cafes “Eho”, “No Stress”, and “Ragina Glava”.

See you again next year in Palilula at new tournaments and with new victories in fights for helping those in need. CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!




SFS VISITING GAVRILOVIC FAMILY FROM BANJA LUKA

In mid-November, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited the eight-member Gavrilovic family from Potkozarje, near Banja Luka. The family had fled Kljuc and found their home in Potkozarje, but they live in very hard living conditions. The parents, Stanislav and Rada, have six children: Danka (19),Danijela (17), Dragana (12), Duska (10), Nikola (5) and Milos (3). They took out a loan to buy the house they live in. They are not connected to the water supply system, so they use a small tank to get water from the nearby standpipe. Since this is illegal, they sometimes have to pay a fine, but they do not have an alternative. To do the washing, Rada pours the water into the washing machine manually. Otherwise, she would have to hand-wash everything, which would waste more water. In order not to waste water, she uses the machine, but she is afraid that the washing machine will break down in this way and she is also sorry for the children who carry the tank.

The father, Stanislav, heard about our organization while we were helping the flooded in Banja Luka, so he called us to see if we could at least help him with getting the stove, which they really need. That is why we went to Potkozarje for a visit, and we saw for ourselves that they will have a hard time getting through the winter without a wood burning stove. When we arrived, there were four younger children at home, while the two older ones went to fetch water.

Family Gavrilovic from Potkozarje near Banja Luka

This hard working family needs many things, but they ask for the stove, because winter is coming. They turned to us, because they have no one else to turn to. Although supplying their home with water would mean a lot to them, they are aware that it requires big expenses, so they ask for more modest aid.




AID FOR DJORDJEVIC FAMILY FROM RASKA

In cooperation with the Charity association Ruka Prijatelja from Raska, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs helped the five-member Djordjevic family from Raska by purchasing 36 m2 of laminate and two bunk beds with mattresses.

Children’s room before

New beds and laminate flooring in children’s roo

The single father, Borivoje, lives with his mother and his three daughters, Tamara (16), Jana (14), and Nevena (11). We hope that the life of this family will be much better now. The value of the project is 57,600 Dinars. The rest of the news contains photographs which show the laminate flooring installed and the beds brought in.

Floor before the laminate was installed

New floor for family Djordjevic

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!




New floor in dining room


NO SURRENDER!




WORK ON NASKOVIC FAMILY HOME FINISHED

The Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS successfully conducted the big action of finishing the construction of the Naskovic family home. This six-member family is from the village of Kusce in the Kosovo Pomoravlje District and they were first visited before Vidovdan this year. The parents, Boban and Mikica, have four children: Danijela (7), Teodora (3), and the twins, Aleksandar and Aleksandra (10 months old).

Apart from the fact that Danijela has Down syndrome, she is also faced with even bigger problems. Due to doctors’ negligence during her eyes surgery, and lack of information about the mistakes they made, the life of this lovely girl was jeopardized. The total value of the project was 523,000 Dinars.




Childrens room





VISITING TEN-MEMBER LJILJAK FAMILY

At the end of November, members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS visited the Ljiljak family from Grocka. The family consists of the grandparents Mirko and Milica, their daughter Duska, who is a single mother, and her seven children: Andrej (4), Slobodanka (7), Tamara (9), Bobana and Mirko (10), Zorka (11), and Bozana (12). In the 1990s, the Ljiljaks fled western Slavonija, and after years of moving around Serbia, the Commissariat for Refugees helped them several years ago by donating 950,000 Dinars, so they managed to buy a house located on the Smederevo road, in the place called Dubocaj in Grocka.

The family lives on social welfare and occasional wages which grandpa Mirko earns. The house they bought is very small, only 33 m2 and with no bathroom.

During the upcoming Christmas action, our plan is to raise money for the house upgrade for the Ljiljak family, more precisely, to build them a bathroom, small kitchen and two rooms, so that the children would have more space for learning and playing.

Member of SFS talking with father of the family Ljiljak

Children of Ljiljak family

We invite donors and friends of our organization to SUPPORT the upcoming aid action for the Ljiljak family, as part of the upcoming Christmas action.




TOMIC FAMILY GOT HOUSE NEAR ALEKSINAC

After many years of living in hard conditions in a small moldy apartment, the ten-member Tomic family got a house in the village, where they will be able to live and work. The Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS successfully finished the project of purchasing a small country estate in the village of Subotinac near Aleksinac to the total value of 7,300 Euros.

Request the Tomic family made in December, 2014,

asking for help with the purchase of a country house

The estate consists of an old house of about 100 m2 and 1ha of land with an orchard, pasture, field and woods. The Tomic family consists of the parents, Ivica and Sladjana, and their children: Aleksandar (23), Vojislav (21), Ivan (18), Milica (16), Katarina (13), Filip (11), Luka (6), and Milenko (4).

Tomic family living in hard conditions in their flat in

Mladenovac

The Tomic family has been living in a very difficult financial situation for years, struggling to provide enough food for everyday needs of the children. Also, they had bereavement in 2014, losing their four-year-old son Djordje, who had suffered from a cerebral palsy.

The mother of the family, Sladjana Tomic, is going

through difficult times together with her family

‘Up until the tragedy, when I lost my son, the fight for survival was bearable,’ says Sladjana. ‘We were devastated when it happened. I feel that suddenly everything is falling apart and losing all meaning. I sit for hours at the cemetery and take care of my child. It’s hard for me go away and leave him there all alone. And when I get home, I feel total despair. I fear that we’ll end up homeless, because we didn’t pay off our apartment. We have big problems with Ivan, who suffers from epilepsy, and I have to be with him all the time,’ says Sladjana.’ I think our only salvation would be if we got a house in the country.




We could work in agriculture and we would be able to produce food for ourselves. The children wouldn’t be hungry. We would all work on our piece of land. There, that’s my only dream of salvation.’

They are used to wearing old and torn clothes, and being without toys, CDs, video games, books and songs - without a single joy that every child deserves. These children had to get used to being hungry and sleeping on the floor, because they have only two beds in their apartment. What is more, now they are struggling with accepting the truth that they did not have the money for little Djordje’s treatment and that their brother is gone.

Five years ago, as Sladjana says, both she and her husband Ivica lost their jobs and they have been unable to get new ones ever since. No one could stay indifferent to the family full of starving children. The oldest one, Aleksandar, is a second-year student of Geography. He works at a pizzeria in Belgrade and manages to cover his college expenses. Answering the request of the Tomic family from Mladenovac, as part of the Christmas action of 2015, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS started a big action of purchasing a small country estate in the village of Subotinac near Aleksinac, consisting of an old country house of about 100 m2, auxiliary building of 40 m2, and 1 ha of land with an orchard, pasture, field and woods.

Country house and auxiliary building in Subotinac for

the Tomic family

President of the organization SERBS FOR SERBS Igor

Rasula and Sladjana Tomic

Mother of family Tomic in their new house with member

of HO „SFS“ The total value of the estate is 7,300 Euros, which is 886,200 Dinars. The sum was paid off in monthly installments during 2015, to Mirjana Marinkovic who had been the owner of the estate. Expenses of 19,643 Dinars of ownership transfer of the entire estate were also paid.




Tomic family started furnishing the rooms in the house

Bathroom and small kitchen area

Auxiliary building in the yar

Walking around the land behind the house which the

family will use

The organization SERBS FOR SERBS would like to extend big gratitude to donors who helped another big project to be carried out. We would also like to thank the Pesic Agency from Aleksinac for not charging their services of selling the house and preparing the necessary paperwork, and also for helping the Tomic family many times. CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! SERBS FOR SERBS




SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPATION AT THE BOOK FAIR

Thanks to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, which gave way to using one of its stands free of charge, Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS together with the Independent Association of Students ALL FOR KOSMET presented itself to the public at the 60th International Belgrade Book Fair which took place between October 25 and November 1. Thanks to the numerous donors and friends of our organization who attended as guests on our stand, during the eight days of the Fair we collected 92.100 dinars, 110 EUR and 100 KM in the form of donations and by selling T-shirts from the SZS boutique.

Archbishop of Metropolitan of Montenegro and the

Littoral Amfilohije

Numerous guests and friends of our organization visited us at the Belgrade Book Fair: Archbishop of Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije, academian Matija Beckovic,

rap group THC la Familija, rappers Bosko Cirkovic Skabo and Uncle Jo, president of the organization Solidarity for Kosovo Arno Gujon, ensemble Kosovski Bozuri and numerous other friends and donors of the organization.

Academian Matija Beckovic

Arno Gujon, president of the organization Solidarity for

Kosovo

Ensemble Kosovski Bozuri




THC la Familija and SERBS FOR SERBS

Also, during the last day of the Fair, on November 1, a tribune in the media center of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija with the subject “Importance of visiting and providing help to the Serbian people and churches on Kosovo and Metohija was held, in which president of the Independent Association of Students ALL FOR KOSMET Zoran Ciric and his colleague Svetolik Maksimovic addressed the gathered, while on behalf of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS the charity work on Kosovo and Metohija was presented by the president Igor Rasula and PR Milos Simovic.

(from left) Igor Rasula, Milos Simovic, Zoran Ciric and

Svetolik Maksimovic

Filled media center of the Office for Kosovo and

Metohija

Numerous donors who supported future charity actions

Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS expressed gratitude to the friends of the organization Independent Association of Students ALL FOR KOSMET and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija who helped in collecting additional means for the realization of current and future actions of help to the Serbian people on Kosovo and Metohija and in other Serbian areas.




SERBS FOR SERBS – FIRST 10 YEARS

On Saturday, November 7, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs celebrated their first decade of work and existence by holding a solemn academy at Ustanova kulture Palilula in Belgrade. The celebration of 10 years of charity work was attended by over 350 friends, members and donors who have helped and contributed to charity activities of this organization in the previous period.

Aleksandar Gajsek, host

With the distinctive slogan “Children are our future”, and with the help of numerous donors worldwide, the organization has raised 1.3 million Euros of donations since 2005, and thus directly helped more than 1,400 families, counting over 10,000 children throughout Serbia, Republic of Srpska, Montenegro, Croatia and FYR Macedonia.

Igor Rasula, president of Charity organization Serbs for

Serbs




Apart from direct and specific material aid for socially disadvantaged families and children, valuable donations were delivered many times to soup kitchens, health care centers, maternity wards, hospitals, kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools and other institutions which are primarily concerned with everyday lives of children.

Vojin Vucicevic, president of Charity organization Stara

Raska

Lazar Stevic, representative of NGO “Majka devet

Jugovica” from Gracanica

Ruzica Popovic, president of Humano Srce Sapca

Foundation

On Vidovdan, 2015, in the churchyard of the Gracanica Monastery in Kosmet, the organization Serbs for Serbs was awarded the order of St. Sava of thesecond grade by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, for their true love for the Serbian Orthodox Church, especially shown through selfless and wholehearted benevolence towards shrines and the faithful people in Kosovo and Metohija.

Vladimir Vlajic, president of Serbian Orthodox Youth of

Innsbruck, Austria

Among numerous actions and projects which have been carried out in the past ten years, a period after the disastrous floods of 2014, which hit Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, is particularly worth mentioning. The organization then started a big charity project under the name of “Fight against the Floods”, which, in less than ninety days, gathered over 10,000 donors worldwide and provided the aid, consisting of appliances, furniture, construction material, food, water and disinfectants, worth 700,000 Euros, for more than 800 families affected by the floods.

Marko Lazarevic, representative of Osmeh na Dar

Foundation from Belgrade




Vladimir Radovic, representative of Serbian Orthodox

Society Sveta Srbija

Letters of thanks for the representatives of our fraternal

organizations

Open and transparent work of the organization, from the very first aid projects conducted from 2005 onwards, has contributed to ever growing number of donations, as well as gathering of ever growing number of members and volunteers of the organization worldwide. The organization Serbs for Serbs has been officially registered in Serbia, Republic of Srpska, Montenegro, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the United States of America and Canada, with branch offices in Australia, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden. The aim in the years ahead is to gather tens of thousands of donors worldwide who will provide regular monthly donations and thus selflessly help our charity work and provide the necessary social and financial aid for disadvantaged large families throughout the Balkans.

The icon of Bogorodica Ljeviska - gift from the Raska-

Prizren Diocese

At the beginning of March this year, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs started a big charity campaign under the name of “Send SMS to 7763”, in which you donate 100 Dinars by sending the SMS. This way, funds are raised for helping socially disadvantaged families throughout Serbia. Also, through their official site www.srbizasrbe.org, every month the organization gathers hundreds of donors worldwide, who make regular monthly contributions and thus provide funds for conducting new aid projects intended for families and children throughout the Balkans.




FOLLOWING ST. SAVA'S PATHS ON HOLY MOUNT ATHOS

At the end of October, members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS stayed on Mount Athos and took the opportunity to visit a number of monasteries and sanctuaries. A revisit to the Great Lavra Hilandar was definitely the most significant part of our stay. The monastery brotherhood hosted us in a brotherly manner and during our stay, we agreed on the future co-operation on the charity and spiritual agenda. During the stay on Mount Athos, representatives of the organization Serbs for Serbs visited Hilandar, and the monasteries of Esphigmenou, Iviron, Cell of St. Sava in Karyes, the Sketes of St. Andrew and St. Basil, and the Protaton Cathedral, where the icon of Axion Esti, the most saintly icon of the whole monastic state, is kept. Prior to arrival at Mount Athos, we went on pilgrimage to the Tomb of St. Demetrios, Catacombs of Saint John and the Temple of Saint Gregory Palamas in Thessaloniki.

Serbs for Serbs together with Father Kirilo in front of

Hilandar Monastery

Hilandar Monastery – vine of St. Simeon

Tower of King Milutin

Capital town of Mount Athos - Karyes

Skete of St. Andrew in Karyes




Port of Iviron Monastery

Iviron Monastery – old church

Dafni port

View from the ferry

In front of Temple of Saint Gregory in Thessaloniki

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! SERBS FOR SERBS




CHARITY EVENING IN THE “SERBIAN BEER HOUSE”

On Tuesday, November 10, in cooperation with the friends from the café “Serbian beer house” on Crveni krst in Belgrade, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs organized a charity evening.

During the evening in the pleasant atmosphere and socializing, we were collecting donations. We express our special gratitude to the people from small brewery Kors who gave up their profit of selling beer, which went to charity. At the end of the evening, the donor box contained 40.630 dinars.

Once again we want to thank our friends from the café “Serbian beer house”, as well as all people of good will who, by their presence and donations, have contributed that the charity evening remains in everyone’s good memory.




NEW PALACINKA PARTY IN CHICAGO

As the snow finally began to fall in Chicago, a small group of friends decided it was time for another Serbs for Serbs Palacinka Party to raise money for children in Serbia. Everyone was able to review the 2014 Annual Report and see how much effort went into last years projects. The annual report also gave everyone a clear breakdown of where and how all the donations were invested.

Friends and family enjoyed wonderful palacinke made

by Natalia, Ana & Miljana!

We also played some of the new SFS videos for past and upcoming projects. Many of the videos brought tears to the eyes of those gathered. It was hard for some of them to believe that families live like this.




Together, we were able to collect $555 towards help for children in Serbia.

Plans have been made for more Palacinka Parties this winter.

With the cold weather here, what could better than gathering with friends, eating warm palacinke and helping children in Serbia!

See you next time. CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! NO SURRENDER! SERBS FOR SERBS CHICAGO




SFS COLLECTED 200.000 EUR IN 2015

At the beginning of November, 2015, Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS (www.serbsforserbs.org) collected over 200.000 EUR of donation since the beginning of 2015 for the help to the disadvantaged children throughout Balkan. The organization recently celebrated the first 10 years of its charity work at the Solemn academia held in Belgrade. Under the slogan “Children are our future” SERBS FOR SERBS collected a total of 1,3 million EUR of donation and thus helped over 1.400 socially disadvantaged families with more than 10.000 children. Thanks to the official branches of the organization in Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, Montenegro, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the United States of America and Canada as well as great number of donors and friends of the organization worldwide, SERBS FOR SERBS collected necessary means and provided safe roof over the heads of hundreds of families by building and upgrading the houses.

Apart from that, we provided great help in household appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, freezers…) and other household furniture, we built and equipped great number of bathrooms, and we equipped the children’s rooms with new beds, closets, tables, computers, toys and school equipment.

The organization also provided great help to rural families in tractors, trailers and other agricultural machines, greenhouses, seeds, cows, sheep and goats in order to enable them to work on their own and obtain the possibility to provide elementary living conditions for their children. Apart from the direct and specific material help to the socially disadvantaged families and children, valuable donations have been in multiple occasions provided to public kitchens, community health centers, maternity wards, hospitals, kindergartens, elementary and high schools and other institutions who primarily take care of the everyday life of the children.

On Vidovdan, 2015, in the courtyard of the Gracanica monastery on Kosovo and Metohija, the organization SERBS FOR SERBS has been awarded with the Order of St. Sava of second degree by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej for the love towards the Serbian Orthodox Church, particularly expressed in its selfless and wholehearted benevolence towards the sanctuaries and the faithful people on Kosovo and Metohija. The distinction between the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and the others consists in its transparent way of work and great number of donors who are donating relatively small amounts on a monthly basis and thus participate in the charity actions of helping the disadvantaged families. In its official website (www.srbizasrbe.org) and social networks Facebook (facebook.com/srbizasrbe) and Twitter (twitter.com/srbizasrbe), the organization is publishing the lists of donors and the insight into the current account balances on a daily basis, which represents the unique example in the work of the charity and non-governmental organizations in Serbia.




At the beginning of March, 2015, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS, started a big charity campaign “Send SMS to 7763” at the charge of 100 dinars per message, through which we raise funds for helping the socially disadvantaged families throughout Serbia.

Solemn academy – first 10 years of charity work

Representatives of Charity organization “Serbs for

Serbs” on Holy Mount Athos

SERBS FOR SERBS will continue to work hard for the well-being of the disadvantaged Serbian families throughout Balkan in order to deliver the necessary charity help to the vast number of children.

Whit our friends from “Majka devet Jugovica”




SFS VISITED PATRIARCH IRINEJ

Members of „Serbs for Serbs“with His Holiness Irinej

Patriarch of Serbia

On November 30, 2015, members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of work and existence this year, visited His Holiness Irinej Patriarch of Serbia at Serbian Patriarchy in Belgrade. It was a very warm encounter and members of the organization SERBS FOR SERBS told the Patriarch about the activities of the organization, which during a decade of existence and benevolence raised 1.3 million Euros of donations and thus provided aid for more than 1,400 poor and disadvantaged families with over 10,000 children throughout the Balkans.

The Charity organization SESRBS FOR SERBS is officially registered in Serbia, Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and the USA, and there are also offices in Australia, Sweden and the Netherlands. Extending deep gratitude to the Serbian Orthodox Church for selfless help and support, and to His Holiness for encouragement and blessing for their work, members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS presented the Patriarch with the Gramata as a testimony of mutual cooperation and care, which have existed from the very foundation of the organization. SERBS FOR SERBS presented and announced their traditional Christmas action, which aims at collecting and delivering necessary aid to disadvantaged children and families throughout the Balkans. CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! SERBS FOR SERBS

SEND SZS ON 81190 IN GERMANY!

Members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS from Germany have established cooperation with the mobile service providers on launching of the charity SMS number. It is sufficient to send a message SZS to number 81190. The message will be charged at 2.99 EUR (the charge of the service provider is 0.18 EUR). By sending a donation to this number, you directly help the children from the multiple children Serbian families throughout Balkan. In the years to come, charity SMS number will be opened for donations in the Republic of Srpska as well as in the countries throughout Europe and USA. ……………………………………………………….......

11 MILLION HITS ON SFS SITE!

On Thursday, November 25, 2015, the official site of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS - www.srbizasrbe.org - had eleven million hits, starting from 2007 when we started counting visits to the site, with almost a million new visits from the beginning of September until the end of November. This is certainly another evidence of support to our charity work and aid actions, intended for socially disadvantaged families all over Serbia, Republic of Srpska and the region.




“NEMA PREDAJE” FLAG AVAILABLE

The Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS has widened the selection at the SZS store by making a NEMA PREDAJE flag (1m x 1m). The flag costs 1,300 RSD (€ 12, 24 BAM, 20 CHF, $ 15) plus delivery cost. Money made from selling is intended for the work of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs, which helps Serbs in Kosmet and wider. The flags can be ordered through the e-mail: [email protected], the official Facebook page www.facebook.com/srbizasrbe, and also in Belgrade, at boutiques BUNKER (13 Dragoslav Jovanovic Street), and THE STREET (4 Desanka Maksimovic Street). …………………………………………………………...

IMPORTANT! NEW SFS ACCOUN IN REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS informs its donors that there has been a change of banc in the Republic of Srpska. The previous account was opened in Banka Srpske. The intervention team of the Banking Agency of Republika Srpska, together with temporary manager, on November 16, 2015, took over complete control over the work and management of Banka Srpske. The new account of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs in the Republic of Srpska was opened in the NLB-Razvojna banka.

The account is 56201281300241-58, and the data for the foreign currency account are: IBAN BA39 5620 1281 3002 5031 and SWIFT BIC: RAZBBA22. We thank all the people of good will for their support. …………………………………………………………...

5.040 MESSAGES TO 7763 IN OCTOBER

At the beginning of March, 2015, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS, in cooperation with mobile service providers Telekom, Telenor and Vip, started a national campaign for helping socially disadvantaged families throughout Serbia. During October, 5,040 messages were sent to the charity SMS number 7763. The charity campaign SMS to 7763 continues. It is sufficient to send an empty SMS or an SMS with any text you want. Your message will be charged at 100 RSD (without the charge of your service provider). We extend our deep gratitude to all donors and friends of the organization who have taken part in the charity campaign of the organization SERBS FOR SERBS.




SERBS FOR SERBS CHARITY SHOP




Donors in November : 1. Compass Fuel donation box (IL) - $ 42 2. Balkan Bakery donation box (IL) - $ 10 3. Beograd Café donation box (IL) - $ 76 4. Nada's Deli & Bakery d. box (IL) - $ 38 5. St. Nikola, Brookfield d.box (IL) - $ 10 6. Bubamara cafe d. box (IL) - $ 25 7. Zoran Zdravkovic (MI) - $ 15 8. Radomans Framing (CA) - $ 15 9. Srdjan Gavrilovic (GA) - $ 15 10. www.usaserbs.net (IL) - $ 25 11. Mladen Subotic - $ 100 12. Zeljka Bucalo (NV) - $ 25 13. Dragan Bacic (CO) - $ 109,19 14. Milan Dobras (AZ) - $ 15 15. Tihomir Bajic (CA) - $ 100 16. www.designswww.com - $ 15 17. Slavisa Karach (GA) - $ 25 18. Ivan Aksentijevic (MD) - $ 25 19. Dragana Beara (CAN) - $ 50 20. Petar Kesic - $ 100 21. Ivan Radulovic (NY) - $ 25 22. Nina & Maksim Krsmanovic(VA) - $50 23. Aleksandar Micic (MO) - $ 15 24. Milan Zdrnja - $ 25 25. Dragana W. - $ 40 26. Vesna Kozomora (IL) - $ 25 27. Amazon Smile - $ 7,15 28. Predrag Kisa - $ 50 29. Mitar Prentic - $ 15 30. Helena Urukalo (CAN) - $ 15 31. Milos Kuburovic (FL) - $ 15 32. iSerbApparel.com - $ 10 33. Tanja Radovanovic - $ 40 (facebook donation app) 34. Nikola Mrdakovic (IL) - $ 40 35. B. Bojanic (CA) - $ 15 36. Zoran Starcevic - $ 20 37. Marko Saric - $ 20 38. Daniel Plavsic (WA) - $ 25 39. Nenad Milasinovic (Australia) - $ 25 40. Protecta El. Sevices (Australia) - $ 15 41. Ivan Aksentijevic (MD) - $ 25 42. Vladimir Milosavljevic - $ 25 43. Dragisa Djordjevic (MD) - $ 15 44. Slavica Petrovic (IL) - $ 25 45. David Gavric (IN) - $ 50 46. Danijela Korom-Djakovic (PA) - $ 200 47. SD (CA) - $ 50

48. Sasa Savic (TX) - $ 30 49. Marta Stojanovic (CAN) - $ 25 50. Olga Generalow (NY) - $ 250 51. Palacinka party in Chicago - $ 555 52. Stuart Murray (Norway) - $ 25 53. Bojan Jovanovic (IL) - $ 25 54. Biljana Bursac (CO) - $ 15 55. Srdjan Markovic (CA) - $ 25 56. Neven Cvetkovic (Sweden) - $ 50 57. Silicon Va. Com. Foundation - $ 20 58. Silicon Va. Com. Foundation - $ 25 59. Your Cause Giving Prog. - $ 87.5 60. Делије Њујорк - $ 15 61. Olja Meyer (NY) - $ 15 62. Zlatko Kurtaljevic - $ 20 63. Dejan Davidovic (NY) - $ 25 64. Yvonne Murray(United Kindom)- $25 65. Ankica D. (NJ) - $ 25 66. Marko Saric - $ 20 67. Zivko Tatalovic - $ 50 68. Luka Jovic - $ 25 69. Brankica Paunovic - $ 25 70. Sinisa & Mirjana Peric (MD) - $ 50 71. Aleksandar Tanasic (CAN) - $ 25 72. Zoran Mladenovic (MD) - $ 100 _________________________

TOTAL IN NOVEMBER: $ 3.269




DONATIONS IN 2015.

NUMBER OF DONORS IN 2015.




www.serbsforserbs.org [email protected]

www.facebook/serbsforserbs

Documents

Serbs for Serbs Report November 2015