About Us | mysite

TAKE ME TO "HOW TO GIVE"

What we do.

This Child Here is a registered 501(C)(3) non-profit.

*This Child Here is not part of the Mission Program of the PCUSA or funded by the General Assembly or the programs of the newly formed, Presbyterian Life & Witness (PL&W). We are a validated ministry in the Presbyterian Church authorized and supervised by the Presbytery of Western North Carolina, and a registered USA 501c3 at work in Ukraine. Believing children deserve a life grounded in justice, dignity, and peace, we have been funded since 2006 by Presbyterian Churches and individuals across the USA.

We work with families displaced by the war. Thousands of people have fled cities in the east and arrived in Izmail, Ukraine in the west. We run a Center for youth and children's activities, including sports, music, art, and programs led by psychologists. We offer summer programs on the Black Sea in Bulgaria. We place and sponsor high school and University students in the USA.

But mostly, through the supportive community we have built, we offer therapy for the trauma and shock suffered by these families.

Vision, Mission and Values

Even in the midst of this current invasion of russian forces into Ukraine, we feel that our vision, mission, and values continue to serve the dreams we have and the work we do.

Vision: Vulnerable youth and families in Ukraine living in peace and dignity.

Mission: To empower vulnerable youth and families of Ukraine to lead lives grounded in peace and dignity.

Values: In an environment marked by violence, conflict and distrust, we empower people, and are governed by the core values of :
Spiritual Vitality: living a life of inspiration, energy and commitment

Individual Reverence: everyone matters, regardless of where they are from or where you find them.

Personal Impact: People change people, especially children. People empower people, especially through family.

OUR HISTORY

When I first went to Ukraine in 2005, I saw kids living underground, in sewers, dirt basements and in abandoned buildings. A year later I started a non profit called This Child Here and moved to Odessa to help “street kids.”

I worked with a Ukrainian charity called The Way Home and then began my own projects. Street kids, I learned, came from orphanages, broken families. I met trained psychologists who work with the Alternatives to Violence Program and sent them into orphanages. I hired psychologists to work with groups of kids in public schools. We focused on trust, empowerment and conflict management.

In 2010, we began preparing foster families in Ukraine to receive youth and children from orphanages. There were not many, but the number was growing. Today there are about 750 orphanges and 106,000 youth and children in them. Ukraine is closing orphanages, but the move to families is not easy. Families need to want them. Families need to be trained.

In another program, we train mentors for youth living in orphanages and facilities. Every youth and child needs a trusting relationship with adults.

In 2014, came the revolution and war. We began working for peace. We train teens how to manage conflict. It's not political. It's about the prejudice and facing the anger within. It's about relationships and finding peace within. We call it “peacemaking.” We run a summer camp for families displaced by the war. We support and strengthen these families.

On February 24th, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. All our work now is with families, mostly mothers and children who are displaced by this war. If you look at our posts under "Latest News" you will see the specifics of how we are addressing the problems of shock and trauma.

TAKE ME TO "HOW TO GIVE"

What we do.

History

We ask for your email so we send a confirmation of your donation

Staff and Board

Media