Guiding Principals

 

  • Shepherd’s Foundation, a 501C3 non-profit foundation, is an all-volunteer organization. All activities of the Shepherd’s Foundation, whether local administrative services or Ukrainian-based projects, are performed by volunteers who are totally supported by individual prayers and financial contributions. Volunteers travel at their own expense.
  • Shepherd’s Foundation trains Ukrainian and American volunteers to be leaders in local Ukrainian communities and foundation projects.
  • Through its volunteer activity, Shepherd’s Foundation develops model projects that are reproducible and sustainable in various Ukrainian regions and communities.
  • Shepherd’s Foundation participants express their commitment to Christ through projects that promote the development and growth of the local Christian community.

Our Ministries

Schools

By forming links between schools, opportunities for teacher exchanges with hands-on classroom experience occur in both countries. Conferences allow Ukrainian and American teachers to exchange ideas and build lasting friendships that are crucial to the success of this endeavor. Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis currently partners with school number 2 in Zolotonosha Ukraine.

Healthcare

By providing medical support, including dentistry, HIV education, neonatal intensive services, and orthopedic and general surgery training, natural bridges form for the exchange of ideas—through conferences, one-on-one partnerships, consultations and hands-on surgical experience.

Social Services

In practical ways, social needs are met through a soup kitchen, a senior citizen center, a school for special needs children,and camps for physically and mentally challenged children and their parents. All these efforts are coordinated by an active committee of Ukrainian Social Workers partnering with American counterparts. New initiatives supervised by Courage Center of Minnesota helped establish a rehabilitation center for children with special needs in Zolotonosha.

Agriculture

The Heifer Foundation accepted a Shepherd's Foundation proposal for a 3 year grant for the Babonka orphanage near Oman Ukraine. Now in it's second year, the facility includes a dairy operation with cheese and butter making facilities, a horse and pig barn and seed to plant over 100 acres of land. Green houses built through this project allow much more food for the children.

Legal

A new independent country and a new constitution demand new laws and approaches to legal matters. Attorneys, judges and law enforcement personnel participate in lively interchanges,with volunteer attorneys drawing on their own experiences to formulate new concepts and perspectives in the law and its enforcement.

Publishing

The Christian Star Publishing Company is a joint effort of Ukrainians and Americans established to print and distribute Christian literature. Churches and new believers are asking for materials to help them grow in their faith in Jesus. Lending libraries are now established in hundreds of churches thanks to READ Ministries. As new librarians are trained through the work of READ the books are now offered to orphanages and public schools.

Humanitarian Aid

Shepherd’s Foundation also identifies critical areas of need and responds with financial and material help. These efforts have included health care supplies, prescription drugs, school supplies and money for school repairs, agriculture education and assistance, seeds for gardens and crops, finances for a soup kitchen, and finances for computer equipment needed for printing services.

Foster Families

Since 1995 the foster family movement has been led by Sergie and Valya Sobko. A group home was dedicated in 2000 in Zolotonosha and more than 20 children have received love, care and education thanks to the Sobko's. Other families have joined the movement in surrounding towns and villages. The children are raised in a Christian atmosphere and their lives are changed with many now attending universities and trade schools.

Christian Youth Center

The Christian Youth Center was dedicated in September 2007 in Zolotonosha. This dream of a safe inviting place for youth to hang out and be exposed to teachings of Jesus has had a great impact. The facility provides recreational, spiritual and educational opportunities on a daily basis to many youth. It serves as a model for future attempts to reach young peoples hearts and give them hope.

Summer camps

Each summer students have opportunities to be a part of a variety of day camps. there are week long sports camps with training in soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, American football, and dance line. For those interested in improving their English skills camps emphasize conversational English, drama, and music. Teachers from Minnehaha Academy work side by side with Ukrainian Engish teachers in these camps.