ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMS
ORPHAN STIPENDS
Since its inception the OAS has enriched the lives of over 1800 orphans and their U.S. sponsors. Each sponsor commits to minimum monthly payments of $20 per orphan. Many sponsors choose to supplement this stipend with occasional gifts for birthdays, Christmas or other occasions. Funds are distributed twice a year – once in late summer, before school starts and once again in December before the end of the year. Funds are delivered in US dollars (not local currency) to ensure the orphan receives the full amount of the sponsor’s donation. The fund distribution period provides the field coordinators their opportunity to visit the orphan and inspect the circumstances of their guardian’s care. These on site visits serve to ensure the orphans are being provided the constructive environment for growth that is the objective of our program.
EDUCATIONAL AID
OAS received a Grant from the Marketing Research Education Foundation (MREF) to provide financial assistance to all Grammar School, High School and a limited number of College students to cover their annual indirect schooling costs, such as books, clothing, transport and related. The distribution of this aid is currently underway for the 2022/23 school year to all eligible orphans. Over 75 orphans in the OAS program currently attend universities and institutions of higher learning. Education is heavily emphasized, and programs have been developed for cross-tutoring among orphans. Not all higher education is free and some of these orphans have to pay tuition. OAS has created a College Fund, which helps these orphans cover their tuition costs. In addition, a number of sponsors generously fund the tuition expenses of their orphans in addition to maintaining their monthly stipend assistance.
SUMMER CAMPS
In select prior years, OAS conducted summer camps for orphans. These 3-week camps, held near Kyiv, featured Ukrainian and English-language instruction as well as seminars on Ukrainian history, culture, and political development. These camps brought together 40 orphans for eminently memorable experiences. The orphans met other youth facing similar circumstances, develop friendships, and participate in excursions and tours to historical and cultural sites around the region.
CLOTHING & GOODS
Over its many years, OAS shipped an estimated 800 parcels to Ukraine, each weighing 50-75 pounds. These parcels were sent to trusted and secure distributions points and then allocated to orphans and their guardians based on their individual needs
SPECIAL NEEDS
-
Over the years, OAS shipped more than $250,000 in medical supplies to Ukraine for orphan care and provided financial aid for extraordinary medical needs.
-
11 orphans have been brought to the US for eye surgery and 1 orphan came to be treated for third degree burns.
-
After a fire destroyed their apartment, a family received financial aid to relocate to new quarters.
-
In 2003 OAS purchased over 600 new pairs of winter boots for all orphans in our care at the time.
-
OAS directors personally provided funds to replace a cow for a needy widow with three children living in a remote village, and helped raised funds to purchase a home for a destitute widower with two daughters living in a makeshift room in the back of a public garage.
These programs and activities would not be possible without the gracious contributions of our donors.
Please consider giving today.