Graduate Support Center

The Graduate Support Center for orphanage graduates in Kiev is invaluable in the support and help it provides to orphans who graduate from the orphanages. Please consider giving assistance for:

• Feed the Body - Daily Food for Orphanage Graduates - The Graduate Support Center at Orphanage #12 in Kiev on any given day feeds about 10 - 15 hungry teenagers. These orphanage graduates have very little money of their own to spend on food and very often need help. The Center tries to keep an ongoing supply of basic foods to give to them like bread, milk, eggs, sausage, cookies and tea. These children were accustomed to 5 meals per day at the orphanage so they often have a VERY difficult time adjusting to only one or two meals per day. To sustain this vital program, the Graduate Support Center needs a minimum of $300 a month or roughly $10 a day. Ten dollars can buy 2lbs of inexpensive hot dogs, a loaf of bread, 2 cartons of milk, and a pound of cookies. It is not a lot of for this many children, but it REALLY helps. Please consider donating ANY AMOUNT to help offset these expenses. An Orphan Smiles would love to provide enough help that none of these children will be hungry and that the Support Center can hopefully supplement the offerings with some fresh fruit and vegetables..
• Feed the Mind - Monthly Life Skills Training/Group Meetings - Once a month the Graduate Support Center hosts a Life Skills Group Meeting. These monthly get togethers are open to all the Orphanage Graduates and provides training and support related to Life Skills. Some of the topics covered with handout materials include money management, computer training, employment, housing, safety and medical issues, but really the graduates can get help on just about any crisis they may be facing. It also serves as a social opportunity for the graduates where they share pizza and have a good time. It also serves as an opportunity for those mentoring the graduates to assess who is doing "okay" and who needs help. These meetings are very important and very well attended. Typically, expenses for this critical monthly gathering is approximately $75 per meeting. An Orphan Smiles would like to be able to cover this monthly expense for the Graduate Support Center. Please consider a donation in any amount to offset this expense.
• Support Center's Rent - The Graduate Support Center rents the space it uses to provide 24 hour/7 day a week support to the the graduates. Often times the Support Center serves as a temporary shelter for young people who find themselves on the streets. Having this facility is crucial to the success of the program. Typical expenses for Rental are $110 to $130 per month (includes utilities). It would be so helpful to Bogdan and his program if An Orphan Smiles could provide help in paying the rent. If we had 12 people interested in contributing just $10 a month, we could make sure the Support Center would always have a meeting and training and dining and sheltering facility!.

Please click here to donate.