The Orphanage Assessment Process

How can I help "my" orphanage?
If you are a family who adopted at an orphanage and would like to be involved in supporting your orphanage please contact Lynn at lynnk@life2orphans.org.

The Visit:
Sveta or George, our local representatives, can visit your orphanage and perform a needs analysis, making up a list of the orphanage's most desperate needs. Take a look at the photos from a visit to the Nadvirna orphanage.

After scheduling an orphanage assessment you will be required to participate as an coordinator for your orphanage, or locate another individual who is willing to take on this task to make sure the orphanage is appropriately represented in the organization.

Orphanage Coordinator Responsibilities:

Arrange one orphanage assessment trip every 2 years, or on a more frequent basis if requesting numerous pieces of information about the orphanage.

Arrange to provide a digital camera for the orphanage.

Make arrangements for a monthly stipend payment of $10/month for the Ukrainian volunteers who work to keep needs lists updated, and get answers to the various questions that arise when trying to determine how best to allocate funds for your orphanage.

Maintain the orphanage needs list and coordinate with Crystal for web site updates.

Raise awareness of your orphanage's needs on the main Life2Orphans list by organizing a Special Project, and coordinate with Crystal for web site updates.

When it is time for your orphanage's Project of the Month, determine the most immediate need and coordinate with Elizabeth to determine the content of the Project of the Month post to the group.

Represent your orphanage when general donations received at the mission are being distributed, and raise funds for shipping of these items when they are allocated to your orphanage.

Answer general questions regarding your orphanage from individuals who find your home page and request additional information.

Raise awareness of your orphanage's needs outside the Life2Orphans community.

Interface with other orphanage coordinators to identify opportunities for collaboration and fundraising activities.

Understand that a handful of questions can be answered by the orphanage assessors in Ukraine, but more extensive lists will require an orphanage visit which will need to be funded or arrange for by the coordinator.

Coordinate with the individual in charge of purchasing when using Life2Orphans donations to buy items for your orphanage. Understand that it is not feasible to reimburse the many coordinators individually for their purchases, and that using centralized purchasing agent is the most effective way the organization can provide items to your orphanage.

Understand the significance of shipping costs when determining special project budgets and when evaluating which items should be sent from the US versus Ukraine.

The Nutrition:
Our Nestle Food Order Page enables you to buy and send Nestle baby formula, juice and cereal at below wholesale prices) and have it delivered to your orphanage. Your purchase is considered a donation for tax purposes.

The Shipping:
You can ship parcels via the mission in Portland (this may be more cost-effective that your current shipping options and we have never had a problem with customs).

The Donations:
From time to time we have surplus items from corporate donations that may be available for shipment to your orphanage. For example, recently we shipped over 1,200 pairs of shoes and 12,000 socks to several orphanages.

The Community:
An online group where you can correspond with all the families involved and benefit from their experience collecting for their orphanage.

The orphanages issue official donation registration documents that detail the donations. These are counter signed by several members of staff. See the picture below for an example.

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