Ira Schwab of Salvation Army with orphans

Koshty Schwab is a Ukrainian hired by the Salvation Army to work with the children of orphanage number four. The Salvation Army was founded in London in 1865 by William Booth has spread from Britain to many parts of the world. Internationally The Salvation Army works in just over 100 countries using more than 140 languages. There are over 14,000 Corps (centers for worship) as well as a wide range of social, medical, educational and other community services. The world-wide program includes: accommodation for the homeless, occupational centers for rehabilitation, food for the hungry, care for the elderly, health care, work amongst children, education, family welfare aid, refugee centers, fighting leprosy, convalescent homes, alcoholism and drug addiction, help for the blind, helping handicapped people, catering to military personnel, finding missing relatives, prison visits and consultation, remand/probation homes, anti-suicide counseling, registered counseling services, and student accommodation.

Sister Cities International

Paul Becker with one orphan

Dr. Paul Becker is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. He worked twenty years as a partner in a large dental practice. Dr. Becker has hosted many exchanges and found tens of thousands of dollars of in-kind and cash donations to the people of Odessa. He is married to a Ukrainian, Tatiana Michaelovna Mitsuk who also works as the Project Heritage House Coordinator. Sister Cities International is a not for profit, city network first developed when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed the program at a White House conference in 1956. Its goal is to strengthen partnerships between U.S. and international communities in an effort to increase global cooperation at the municipal level, to promote cultural understanding and to stimulate economic development.

Sister Cities International leads the movement for local community development and volunteer action, by motivating and empowering private citizens, municipal officials and business leaders to conduct long-term programs of mutual benefit. The Sister Cities International partnership between Odessa and Baltimore is twenty-five years old.

Lela Steel with orphan in orhange

Since 1994, Mrs. Lela Steel, 76 years old, has worked as an advocate of homeless children in Ukraine. Her work in Ukraine is sponsored by dozens of churches throughout America. She is personally involved with the day to day activities of the children in the orphanage. Lela has found thousands of dollars in donations, both in-kind and cash to help the children of Odessa. Harvest International Dr. John Leininger founded Harvest International in 1986 to open a feeding program for children in Haiti. It started with 30 children. Harvest International now feeds over 1,000 children two meals a day. It recently began expanding its efforts to Ukraine.

Travis, Valeria, and Gennady inventoring purchased text books for the orphanange

Travis Bailey purpose is to find local and international funding and support for the orphanage and the people of Odessa. He has lived in Odessa since February of 2000. He recently found funding for over 2,000 textbooks for the children of the orphanage. He is currently trying to find funding for 26 computers for the children of the orphanage. A recent graduate of marketing from Utah State University, he is originally from Blackfoot, Idaho. The Peace Corps currently has more than 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers are serving in 76 countries, working to bring clean water to communities, teach children, help start new small businesses, and stop the spread of AIDS. Since 1961, more than 161,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps, serving in 134 nations. When President John F. Kennedy became President in 1961, he issued a call to service to Americans with these words: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." He manifested this vision by establishing the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship.