About Us
Bogdan Bashtovyi
I'm Monica from upstate New York. I live with my husband, our son, our cat, and our dog. I'm an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher in a rural school district. I work primarily with children from Mexico and China. I sponsor two teens in Ukraine (Mykolaivka) and one teen in Burkina Faso (not an orphan, but from an impoverished family). I have gotten so much pleasure out of these sponsorships that I try to dedicate any free time I have to volunteering in order to help other orphans. I would like to see An Orphan Smiles grow and develop into an organized, efficient, and trustworthy organization that is able to truly put smiles on the faces of many children, teens, and aging-out orphans in Ukraine. I look forward to collaborating with everyone!
A few years ago I saw The Matchmaker on stage and I remember a line in it that goes something like "There is a tremendous difference between having nothing and having a little, and less difference in having a little compared to a lot". This is so true in the lives of the orphans. If we can just give a little it makes a huge difference. They don't ask for a lot, and it transforms the children more than we may ever understand.
Nelly Delmatoff
I speak Russian, and try to read magazines and books in Russian as often as I can to keep up my skills. I am 18 years old now, and doing well in high school. I love it! Next year I will be going to college, but I am still trying to decide what to study. I love art, history, literature and nature. I am glad to be able to help An Orphan Smiles by translating.
Chris Diehl is married to Terri and they have two adopted children. Nicholas (6) is from Taganrog, Russia and Anna (4) is from Odessa, Ukraine. The Diehl's started sponsoring a young boy from Myko Internat in April, 2007 shortly after Anna came to the states and have enjoyed every moment of this sponsorship. Chris has travelled to several orphanages in Russia, Ukraine and Bosnia on adoption trips and mission trips and has seen the needs of the kids first hand. Chris is glad to volunteer with An Orphan Smiles as a Board Member.
I live in Columbus, Ohio with my husband and son. My son is 1 and 1/2 years old and it has been so exciting being a mommy. I am currently a substitute teacher at an elementary school. Luckily I will be at the same school all year. I am looking to switch careers so have been working on that as well. I have a MEd in Special Education and a BS in psychology. I am working with An Orphan Smiles because I wanted to volunteer from home and at the same time really know I was making a difference in a child's life. I am very excited to begin working with this organization!
Lana Gindina
In 1997 I came to the US as a visitor to attend my best friend’s wedding. She and her husband lived in Pittsburgh, PA. I spent all summer there and after 6 month decided to stay in the US permanently. I graduated from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA as a paralegal in 2005; and since then was working as an immigration paralegal. In February of 2007 I moved (again) to sunny California, San Francisco bay Area. I absolutely love it here and I am not moving anywhere else. Currently, I am laid off and trying to volunteer as much as I can.
Yevgeniya Golynska
I am a native Ukrainian from Nadvirna, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Ukraine. I finished Medical University in Ukraine where I obtained a dental degree. Now I am also in the process of obtaining a dental degree in the USA, while working as a dental assistant. I am married and live in beautiful San Francisco. I would like to spend time helping An Orphans Smiles organization and Ukrainian children. I hope that my little help will make some children happier. Thanks all of you, for your help to Ukrainian children.
Alla Johnson No doubt was left in my mind. I have to be part of this energetic and passionate team that is doing a great thing—bringing hope and joy into the lives of children who are in need of them most. Being ethnically Ukrainian and knowing personally about the hardship of life in the former USSR, I was impressed by the work and compassion of the An Orphan Smiles team and sponsors. In November 2008, I joined the organization as a Volunteer Translator. I lived and worked in Belgorod, Russia for most of my life. In 2007, I moved to the U.S. My husband, a family dog, and I live in the Washington, DC area now. My husband’s family lives in the U.S. My family lives in Ukraine and Russia. I am in my 20's now. I am looking forward to hearing from all who are interested in bringing a change to Ukrainian orphans’ lives.
I had watched my sister volunteer for a baby orphanage and had helped her with her efforts but it wasn't until after reading about the statistics of the children who are released from the orphanages that I decided to get involved. It breaks my heart to see so many precious children without families and although I cannot make a difference for all of them, I can make a difference for one. An Orphan Smiles is noble organization run by volunteers whose best interests truly are the children we serve. I hope you will join us in our effort to change the lives of the children in Ukraine, one little smile at a time!
Alona Lavrenyuk
Yelena Makarov
My name is Yelena Makarov. I have recently joined the group as a volunteer translator. Born and raised in Siberia, I moved to Moscow to attend a university. In the 90s I moved to the U.S. and now live in the beautiful city of San Francisco. I came to An Orphan Smiles because I was attracted to its Mission. I am very excited to share my time and skills to help children in need. My experience here has been rewarding and I look forward to working on future projects.
Jane Mitchell
Jane is our in-country liaison for the KIDS and GAP programs at Mykolaivka Internat. She also sponsors two boys at Internat Myko. Jane is originally from Australia and is living in Kiev teaching English to Ukrainians. She and Aloysha are our "in-country" representatives who take the trips to Internat Myko on a monthly basis.
Oksana Semchyshyn
Diane is an adoptive parent of two daughters. She and her husband and her older daughter spent a month in Ukraine in 2003 while adopting their younger daughter who was 15 months old at the time. This journey was an unforgettable family experience. Since that time Diane has devoted many volunteer hours giving back to the country and the orphanage where her daughter lived. There are so many needs not only for the babies, but the older children as well. She is looking forward to sharing in the effort to help these children through An Orphan Smiles. Diane works part time as an Engineering Consultant for Valero Energy Corp.
Evan graduated in June 2009 from Drexel University in Philadelphia with a B.S in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems. He is working as an Intern in Procurement for Siemens AG in Malvern, PA where he worked during his undergraduate studies. Despite a tough job market, he hopes to find a permanent position soon. Evan enjoys working with computers and is glad to have an opportunity to volunteer with An Orphan Smiles as Webmaster. Evan has a seven year old cousin who was adopted from Ukraine.
Copyright © 2008 An Orphan Smiles. |
Bogdan runs the Graduate Support Center at Kiev Orphanage 12. He works with young adults that have "graduated" from the orphanage system providing mentoring, skills training, legal assistance, help with food and housing, and whatever it takes to keep these kids in vocational school or employed, off the streets and safe. Bogdan is our in-country contact for the GAP program at Tsurupinsk and Orphanage 12. He provides valuable support to all our programs in an advisory capacity. Bogdan has a degree in law and is also a freelance translator. In September 2009 he visited with several of our volunteers in the United States.
My name is Rachael Davidson. I grew up in the North of England and came to America in 1999 and currently live in California. I found out about the plight of Ukrainian orphans a couple of years ago and was compelled to help. I spent ten days at Mykolaivka Internat in May of 2008 and it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I saw first hand what we are doing and how the kids lives have improved with the help and letters that we write to them. Having someone that cares makes a huge difference in the lives of a child who has no parents.
Liz is has been an active children's advocate for 26 years. She is a licensed counselor and teacher and mother of three; Nelly, 18, Bella, 10 and Neil, 7. She and her husband Bill are proud parents and have enjoyed building their family through both birth and adoption. Liz has been active in adoption advocacy since 2000 and has worked with many humanitarian organizations and adoption agencies in multiple countries. Her passion is providing service for medically fragile, orthopedically impaired or physically challenged children through medical missions to Eastern Europe. She is currently learning interventions and strategies for deaf education and recently completed an endorsement program for supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Liz loves her work and volunteer challenges, and credits her husband Bill's unwavering support as the explanation for her success. Liz's family also has 10 pets, lots of friends, wonderful extended family and too many activities to list!
Hi, my name is Nelly Delmatoff. I was born in Ukraine and lived there in an orphanage until I was almost 14 years old. At that time I was adopted by my parents and moved to Oregon. The transition was hard, but I have a great family and wonderful friends.
For as long as I can remember, I have had compassion for others in need. As a child and adolescent, I was a member of the Girl Scouts and did many hours of community service. I now volunteer with children and animals, as well as with An Orphan Smiles. I hope to one day become a foster mother to children with disabilities. I live in New Jersey with my family and our seven parrots.
My name is Lana Gindina. I was born and raised in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (one of the ex-Soviet Union Republics). At age 17 I left my hometown and moved to Saint-Petersburg, Russia and enrolled in college. I graduated four years later with a bachelor degree in engineering.
My name is Amy Jordan and I live in Salt Lake City, Utah with my husband and two wonderful children. For the past few years, my family has sponsored children at Mykolaivka Internat and it has been a wonderful experience for me and my children. We are excited every time we send a package and my children love to help me shop, wrap and mail. Our participation in the sponsorship program has generated many discussions within our home about how blessed we are to have each other and has helped to teach my children to be unselfish and open their hearts up to others in need. Though we always wish we had more to give, we know that every little bit counts!
I live in southern New Jersey about 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia with my husband, Seth and our two cats Zoey and Maggie. I have a B.S. in Communications and Media Management from the University of Tennessee and am currently working full-time in Philadelphia at the National MS Society as their Community Services Coordinator. Ever since the age of 12 I have felt called to adopt a child. While that hasn't become a reality yet, I hope that it does in the near future. Until then, I am so excited to be working with An Orphan Smiles as the Communications Coordinator, and helping to make a difference in the lives of Ukrainian orphans. Ruyard Kipling once said "He who can reach a child's heart can reach the world's heart." Through my work with An Orphan Smiles, I'm hoping to make this one of my life's missions.
Hi, my name is Alona Lavrenyuk. I live in Ukraine and am a senior at Novovolynsk, Lyceum. During the 2007-2008 school year, I was an exchange student in America and lived with Kelly Smith and family. I was impressed to see the work she and others do for the orphans of Ukraine and am very excited for an opportunity to help by translating! I speak Ukrainian at home but also Russian and English (as well as some Polish, German, and French). When I go to college I hope to study to further help the orphans in my country and I know I have met many amazing people who can help me with that goal. In my free time I enjoy dancing, sports, and studying languages.
My name is Marina Pravednikov. I have been involved in helping the orphaned children of Ukraine since 2005. I am married but do not have any children of my own. I live in Southern California. I am of Russian descent, and my husband Igor is from Russia. I have visited Internat Myko twice, Kiev Orphanage 12, and Slavyansk Internat #2. My mission is to help teach the children that there is something in life to look forward to. I want them to feel that there is someone in this world that does love them and with that, they themselves have reason to move forward in a positive way in their lives.
Hello! I am Leslie. I live in Draper, Utah with my husband and three boys. I have been sponsoring two children and helping a baby orphanage in Ukraine since 2006. This has been such a blessing in my life and the life of my family. If you are considering involvement in this wonderful cause, I say go for it! These children are precious. You will never regret putting smiles on their faces. I am so grateful that I can associate with wonderful people who wish upon my same star and have gigantic hearts. One of my favorite sayings, because it makes it all sound simple…“By small things, great things are brought to pass.” My hope is that together, we can do some really great things.
My name is Donna Russell-Snyder and am a retired resource specialist and middle school principal near San Francisco, California. My husband, Arnie, and I have two biological adult children, Jacob, age 29 and Spenser, age 24. Children and advocacy for their needs and rights has been work dear to my heart, and has ultimately led me to the sponsorship of Tanya, at Mykolaivka Internat. Arnie and I have been Tanya's sponsors since 2006, and yearned to meet her. In the spring of 2008 Arnie and I were fortunate to travel to Mykolaivka Internat with a small group of sponsors and the coordinators of the orphanage to meet Tanya and the orphanage. It was an unforgettable experience! Sponsors are in many ways the children's Hope for a Future outside the orphanage. I cannot tell you how many children wanted to know if I "knew" their sponsor! They were aching for connection and love. It was this visit to Mykolaivka that has led me to volunteer for 
My name is Oksana Semchyshyn and I am native Ukrainian. I live with my parents and brother in very beautiful and green town Ternopil , which is in Western Ukraine. I graduated from Medical University in Ivano-Frankivsk and now I work as a dentist in a private dental office. I love my job very much as I like people. I've recently joined An Orphan Smiles organization as a volunteer translator and I'm very fond of it. I enjoy spending time helping children. The purpose of my life is to be productive, to be useful. That's make me happy. "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". I hope that our help make really huge difference in many children's lives.
I am a 28 year old Ukrainian living in San Francisco. I love the US for the opportunities that are open for me here. I am single and enjoy an active life. My major interests are learning business, reading fiction, studying foreign languages, and tennis. Luckily, I've found that place where I could make my first steps to reaching my dreams. I am a student of GMAT test preparation for Business graduate program. My undergrad major was in English and German and Literature. I dream of opening my own language school so others may also learn new languages. I believe that it gives one an additional life. While studying at the university in Ukraine, I realized that my passion is traveling, learning, experiencing the world.
My first work experience with children in an orphanage led me to the idea of volunteering and supporting those kids who are in the most need. I became a volunteer as soon as I heard about An Orphan Smiles. The most graciousness of being with this organization is the huge inpact of each volunteer's personality, as it makes everyone a Big Person. Each Volunteer is unique and each of our functions is limited, but when put together, its power is unfathomed and anything is possible. 
I am the proud mother of four biological children. My heart was opened to the orphans of Ukraine after the birth of my third son. Thinking we might never have a daughter, my husband and I began researching adoption and were led to Ukraine. I began volunteering and saw the real difference one person can make in the life of another. Although our daughter was finally born, our adoption dreams remain a part of our complete family picture. I encourage everyone I know to experience the joy of connecting with a child who has nothing but hope. “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”
Hello! My name is Laura Taylor. I am originally from New Hampshire and I now reside in the beautiful state of Vermont, with my husband and young son. Along with being a wife and mother, I work full-time as a high school Spanish teacher. My involvement with the orphaned children of the Ukraine began shortly after the birth of my son, Jack, in 2007. As a new mother, I was overwhelmed with love for my child, and that love compelled me to work on behalf of children who do not have parents to care for them. As well as being the coordinator for the Tsurupinsk Graduate Program, I also sponsor a bedridden child at the Torez Special Needs Orphanage. My work on behalf of these children has truly enriched me life and I feel honored to be a member of 
Hello! My name is Sylvia and I live in California with my husband. My desire to help orphans in Ukraine was sparked when I was browsing a social networking site, where I met a lady who had been sponsoring a child in a Ukrainian orphanage. I'm more of a big picture person, so rather than sponsor an individual child, I decided to "adopt" an entire orphanage. I've been supporting Orphanage 12 in Kiev and especially enjoy supporting the Points Shop and the Graduate Support Center. I now also sponsor a GAP student from Mykolaivka, and in general try to help out where I can. I have seen in my own family how hard it is for a child to get through life without his or her parents' guidance. I know that sometimes, all it takes for a child to make it in life is someone who cares. As a volunteer, I want An Orphan Smiles to be that force in "our" kids' lives.
Debbie and her family reside near Seattle, Washington, where she practices professionally in healthcare as a Registered Nurse. She and her husband currently have four children... two home grown, and two who were adopted from Tsurupinsk Childrens Home in Kherson, Ukraine. During both adoptions from Tsurupinsk, Debbie and her family grew to know and love many of the orphans there. They also recognized how the resources for these children were stretched very thinly to cover their medical, educational and physical needs. Upon returning home, Debbie began seeking organizations who could help this orphanage. She was thrilled when An Orphan Smiles began the Tsurupinsk Graduate Assistance Program and next, the Art Supply program, for which she currently volunteers to send art supplies to the dear children left behind.