The story of the “Spadshchyna” (Heritage) organization began in January 2007. We started as a small group of 11 volunteers who visited orphanages once a month and hosted a first summer camp in a village for fewer than 50 children. Over the years, this ministry steadily developed.

Eventually, a single monthly trip grew into a large-scale operation, with our teams visiting 18 orphanages every month. The LELA summer camp welcomed up to 600 children each season, and over 400 volunteers joined our various projects. “Spadshchyna” expanded its outreach to support children from families at risk, youth with special needs, and orphanage graduates transitioning to independent living.

In 2015, the organization acquired its own building in Odesa. This allowed us to establish an office and launch permanent initiatives: the JAM day center for at-risk youth and the JOY! center for children with autism. The main goal of these projects was to transform the lives of children facing difficult circumstances in Odesa and the surrounding region.

In 2022, with the onset of the full-scale invasion, “Spadshchyna” pivoted its core activities to focus entirely on emergency relief for war victims and individuals in acute crisis. The fund has been active for nearly twenty years, building strong partnerships and securing donor support. Although the crisis continues, we will sustain our work as long as we have the capacity to function on the ground.