The Romanian Heritage Association was founded after the 1968 devastating floods in Moldavia, Romania. It was revived in January 1990, just after the Romanian revolution. Organized as a Michigan non-profit corporation, the Association is made up of Detroit-area businesspersons, professionals and members of the community who share an interest in organizing educational and cultural activities and assistance. The Association’s wide-ranging activities emphasize relief and material aid to like organizations within Romania, and to preserving and promoting Romanian culture in North America.
Our group includes active members of several Metropolitan Detroit churches; Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant included. It counts as well, active supporters from the larger community of non-Romanian-Americans.
The Romanian Heritage Association is organized and has been scheduled in the IRS Bulletin as a “501(c)(3)” organization; donations to this organization are tax-deductible to the extent allowed, for donors who itemize.
As one of its major projects in the USA, our group has accomplished the full funding of a scholarship for Romanian students at Northwood University, Midland, Michigan. This fine institution has focused its courses on business and business administration, and training business leaders for Romania is seen as one of the greatest necessities for future economic growth and stability in that country.
The Association has also been instrumental in facilitating important donation to Romanian hospitals, research institutions and orphanages, in cooperation with the “Help for Romania” fund and Help the Children of Romania non-profit. A partial listing of our activities includes:
n Medical Supplies valued at $75,000 through Randolph Medical Supply Co., with direct distribution in Romania by the Help for Romania Fund of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, Grass Lake, Michigan;
n Constituent Charter member of the Congress of Romanian Americans, (CORA), McLean, VA/Washington, DC;
n 240 packages of medical supplies valued at $15,000 to the Clinic of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, in Bucharest, Romania, Oct., 1996;
n Full set of opthalmological supplies in May, 2002, for use in orphanages, through Help the Children of Romania;
n Fully funded The Romanian Heritage Association Endowed Scholarship at Northwood University;
n Cultural Exchange, Florin Georgescu, operatic tenor, State Opera of Romania, Michigan Opera Theatre.
n Artist support, Ms. Iordachescu, music performance, winner of 2d prize in Competition, Miami, Florida;
n Artist support, Simion Bata, concert piano, Oberlin College & Juillard;
n Charitable support to County orphanage, Sibiu County, Romania;
n Assistance to Joanne Bock, August 1995, in publication of Ethnic Vision: A Romanian American Inheritance.
n Assistance and facilitation of donations to the June-July, 1999, 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall, Gateways to Romania program.
n In 2002-3, working with and through the Honorary Consul of Detroit, John Rakolta, Jr., and Wayne State University, to renovate and refurnish The Romanian Room in WSU’s Manoogian Ethnic Center.
n Artistic support, soprano Ann-Marie Condacse, Ph.D.
n Working with the Shared Inheritances Series in 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006, of the Friends of the Troy Public Library, Dr. Maria Hunciag, to feature the accomplishments of area Romanian-Americans. ROHERA has presented Romanian-American performers from across America at its Musical Evenings & Garden Grills.
New members are welcome to the Association and you are personally invited to join our work and our projects. Member dues per year are established as $25 per person and $50 per family. You are also invited to make your donation toward the ongoing projects, particularly the Romanian Room in Manoogian Hall, Wayne State University.