Ukrainian Orphans Group organizes in Philadelphia.

Our purpose is to aid humanitarian organizations that help orphans from Ukraine. Thousands of orphans need our help urgently.

This organization is the result of our "Ride Across Europe" endeavor in the summer of 2000, when we rode by bicycle across France, Germany and Poland and then by bus into Ukraine. Our desire is still the same today, and that is to help Ukrainian Orphanages and to raise public awareness and cause world attention to an ever-increasing problem.

Most people in the world think that the event that took place in April of 1986 at Chernobyl is long over. The truth is that it will never be over with, and together with Ukraine's hard struggle with democratic reform, the difficult separation from the former communist system and political and social corruption, the children are sometimes lost in the shuffle. And subsequently, due to these problems there is very little money going into any Ukrainian social services. Ukraine is in a serious economic crisis, in fact, for 11 years now. Although recently [Summer-2002] there have been some positive signs for economic improvement, it will be a very long time before the average citizen benefits from them.

The situation today is no better than when I last visited in 2000. In fact, things are even worse. Now,103,000 children live in orphanages, and It is estimated in a recent Christian Scientist Monitor article [April 2002] that over 800,000 children are homeless in Ukraine today. Many make their home in the subway system in Kiev & other major cities. Too many kids for the orphanages to even handle.

Due to this economic crisis that continues today and in the foreseeable future, the hardship put on
the average Ukrainian citizen is proving to be way too much. The average salary is about $50.00
USD per month. And unfortunately there is a national apathy going on that is greatly depressing the general population. Many feel that things are completely hopeless. Many of these kids end up in
orphanages due to domestic violence, crime or parental drug or alcohol addiction.

In the summer of 2000, I had the honor to meet many of these wonderful kids. Some with physical
deformities, some without. But all where absolutely remarkable considering the circumstance they
are in. This year (2002) I have gone back to Ukraine and have met many more. I cannot even tell you in words how this experience has changed me. My drive to do something has not diminished. Now
we have opened up a new organization here in Philadelphia, which will specifically help homeless
kids in Ukraine. We have called it "Ukrainian Orphaned Children's Fund of Philadelphia". We hope to make a positive difference & help those in Ukraine that honestly do help the children.