When we meet orphaned youth, they’re often worried about the future. They want good jobs, loving relationships, a sense of meaning—but many lack even basic life skills.
Last Bell welcomes the youngest orphaned students into a big, loving family at the Day Center. There, they begin to receive help. Some say they feel loved and wanted for the first time.
The Day Center has many functions:
• It houses Educational Outreach, including drop-in activity days, holiday gatherings, tutoring, guitar and English lessons, and small groups for young men and women
• Storage of clothing and other aid, laundry facilities, and hot meals
• It’s our organizational hub, with offices and meeting areas
The current building has been a warm second home to orphan teens for seven years. We’re grateful! But our ministry is growing, and the Day Center is overflowing.
This year, God provided a solution. Thanks to the generosity of our friends, we signed the paperwork on a new Day Center facility.
The new building is a great fit for our youth’s needs. For example, it’s close to all public transportation. For some students, that will remove a barrier to receiving help. It has a good bomb shelter, and it’s near an attractive cultural center.
Compared to the current building, it has three times the space for gatherings and plenty of storage. This abundance will simplify behind-the-scenes work for our staff and create opportunities to serve more orphaned youth and people affected by the war.
Renovation work has begun, and we plan to open in August 2025!
If you’d like to know more, here’s an FAQ with details about the purchase:
Next spring or summer, we’ll share opportunities to help with furniture, kitchen supplies, and other ways to make the new Day Center welcoming.
Right now, orphaned young people have deep needs we don’t even know about yet. We’re looking forward to a time when they can reach us more easily and feel more comfortable.
Thank you, friends, for your partnership in this work, and for celebrating with us!
PS: When I (Emily) last talked with Director Andrey, he was in the current Day Center. He’d found a quiet room to talk, but it was full of boxes and he couldn’t even sit down! Here’s a photo of the crowded central room:
