Orphans' Aid Society set to expand its assistance to Ukraine's children (10/08/00)

Orphans' Aid Society set to expand its assistance to Ukraine's children

by Roma Hadzewycz

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - The Orphans' Aid Society, based on Long Island, in Douglaston, N.Y., may not have a high profile, but it has high-minded goals. Last year the charitable organization sent more than $210,000 in direct financial assistance to orphans in Ukraine.

This year, and in succeeding years, the organization hopes to do even better.

Founded in 1992 by a group of ladies in New York who hoped to provide some concrete aid to Ukraine's people, the OAS today has 1,100 Ukrainian children on its list. "But, many, many more children in Ukraine need help," said Maria Jowyk, the society's president. "All of us should feel responsible for Ukraine - more than 600 orphans are now awaiting our help," she underlined.

Mrs. Jowyk was accompanied by two fellow OAS activists: her husband, John Jowyk, who gives his official title as "helper" and says he firmly believes in "sponsoring the children of Ukraine - the future"; and the Rev. Deacon Yourij Malachowsky, a member of the society's board of directors.

The three activists spoke of how the Orphans' Aid Society sends assistance to Ukraine through trusted contacts who personally visit the children and their guardians to ensure that aid is delivered, underlining that close to 100 percent of donations collected by the society benefit the children (only 3 cents of every dollar collected by the OAS are spent on administrative expenses - that amounts to a tenth of what other charitable organizations spend on average).

The OAS's contacts in 22 oblasts of Ukraine also see to it that the children are receiving the appropriate schooling and are well-cared-for. "We know very well who we are helping and how," Mrs. Jowyk stated, adding that she travels to Ukraine each year to confer with the organization's representatives there and to visit with children who receive OAS assistance.

The organization raises funds through a program via which donors can support individual children in Ukraine with donations of $15 per month. That meager sum is enough to feed, clothe and educate a child. However, donors can also choose to contribute larger amounts.

Donors receive a photo of the children they "adopt," are regularly informed of the children's progress, and are encouraged to correspond with them. The sponsorship is set up to continue through the children's 16th birthday, but there is a program for college students and donors may elect to sponsor their children through college graduation.

One-time donations also are gladly accepted by the Orphans' Aid Society as these enable the organization to help other children on its growing list.

Mr. and Mrs. Jowyk described the success of a three-week educational camp for 21 orphaned Ukrainian children held this summer near Vorzel, outside of Kyiv. The camp was overseen by Washingtonian George Woloshyn; the camp director was Olha Moroz, who is the OAS coordinator in Kyiv. Dubbed "Moloda Ukraina" by the teenage campers themselves, the camp focused on Ukrainian studies and culture, as well as the English language, taught by Mr. Woloshyn's daughter Maya.

"The camp was a first," Mrs. Jowyk observed, "and, since this one was so successful, we plan to organize more such camps."

In addition, the society sends aid parcels to the children of Ukraine - more than 150 such large parcels, each weighing approximately 60 pounds, were sent in 1999 - as well as gifts for the feast day of St. Nicholas.

A related program brings ailing children to the United States for surgery that is unavailable to them in Ukraine. Thus far the OAS has brought a dozen children here and has helped by setting up separate accounts under the aegis of the OAS to provide for each child's medical care.

The Orphans' Aid Society is holding its first public annual meeting on October 15, at the Ukrainian Institute of America, 2 E. 79th St., New York. The meeting begins at 2 p.m. and will be followed by a musical program and screening of a film about the Moloda Ukraina camp.

Mrs. Jowyk noted that the meeting is "an opportunity for all to come and inquire about our work, and to become involved in this worthwhile project."

For information contact: Orphans' Aid Society, 129 Ridge Road, Douglaston, NY 11363; phone, (718) 423-4966; fax, (718) 423-8885. The OAS is a non-profit organization with 501 (c) (3) status as a charitable institution, and all donations are tax-deductible.

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