The Aging Out Program in Ukraine focuses on personalized care for young adults who have aged out of orphanages in Dnipro. These young adults face an unsure future, and without a safety net of support are at high risk of falling victim to criminal activity, drug abuse, sexual exploitation and trafficking, and suicide. Staff and volunteers provide physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational support to help those young adults make a healthy transition to independent life.

The Aging Out Program team works with orphanage directors to identify candidates for the aging out initiative, and a personalized transition plan is designed for each graduate to help them learn to live independently. They then come alongside each young adult to provide the emotional, physical, and spiritual support they need. Those young adults learn how to live independently which starts by finding a place to live or transitioning to a vocational school or college.

The goal of the Aging Out Program in Ukraine is to help as many of these young adults as possible, providing them a safe, nurturing support system that will enable them to become thriving adults filled with purpose. This often includes helping to find or create safe housing, providing guidance on the best path for education, and working through their legal rights as an orphan. The assistance goes even further, teaching the graduate how to manage a budget, shop for and prepare meals, and develop healthy relationships with others. The Aging Out Program in Ukraine also involves the local church in mentoring these children and walking alongside them to teach them how to face every day and every problem with the hope of Christ.

Orphan Outreach began its work in Ukraine in 2016, thanks to its long-standing partnership with LifePoint Church in Maryland. Orphan Outreach helps provide the resources needed for orphans who have aged out to secure safe housing, receive medical and dental care, and more. Sponsorship helps with ongoing needs, and mission teams offer job skills and life skills training.

Meet the Children at Aging Out Program