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Dreams come alive... ...for children that are given something to believe in, and that is what Maria House will do for so many orphaned teen girls who will have their first real home here. Maria House will include individuals sleeping rooms for two girls, lounges decorated by the residents, and a kitchen and dining room where everyone will help be responsible for meals. The plan... ...EAC's Margaret Cole, Rob Sanford and Trisha Sikora were instrumental in establishing a plan to do something to assist these girls. EAC and Project Sunshine began facilitating the immense project of finding the proper housing for physical as well as educational/vocational care of these students. It's hard to imagine the daunting task of renovating an old mansion (which has been vacant since 1989) into a dormitory/school for the girls. The building was a part of a self-sufficient farming community. The land and buildings were owned by the government and had not had much attention since the fall of Communism. This building in Luktinol, Russia (Vladimir Region, East of Moscow) seemed the ideal place to create our educational community. The Maria House places a special emphasis on the arts. A portion of the Maria House is designated as a fully operational theatre space, complete with lighting, sound and audience accommodation. This theatre will provide many opportunities for student involvement such as acting, costume making, set building, play writing, ect. Art play another important roll for the Maria House project. Last winter, Project Sunshine provided children's homes with art supplies. When we returned in the spring, the children presented us with beautiful paintings, quilting and sculpture. Through a series of art events scheduled across the country, the artwork (beautifully matted and framed by Rob Sanford) is being sold to raise money and promote awareness of these talented children's plight. |
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| Our Goal |
Our goal...
...for each young girl who enters here is to help her in life preparation. Usually, each girl entered the orphanage system when they were a newborn baby or a toddler. From baby house to toddler orphanage and throughout their childhood years, each girl was lovingly cared for and fed and clothed by the orphanages. Even with donations from groups like Project Sunshine supporting them, the institutions had limited resources as the girls grew up.
Life unfolds...
... for those girls, by the age of 16, the orphanage system is no longer designed to raise and care for them. Maria House is a bridge carrying these young teens into self-dependency, higher education or vocational preparation and toward a self-reliant life. It is here where the child becomes a woman in a safe supportive home.
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| Who Will Help? |
With your help...
...this wonderful house will rise in Vladimir, and be the beginning of a series of halfway houses for young teenage orphan girls ready to leave the shelter and regime of orphanage life. Sometimes we all ask, ‘how can we help’? This time, we can give you a wonderfully simple answer: we will start with this first house, build it brick by brick, donate our resources and truly believe that every journey begins with the first step... and help the girls with their own journeys on the path to adulthood.
Who will help...
...raise the money? All of us! Donors to Project Sunshine, Parents who have adopted, grandparents, children who have been adopted, friends of European Adoption Consultants, churches and synagogues, and families all across America who care about these orphan teens. Making life better for them is a dream come true. We want to help and each of us wants to be a dream maker! We know we can do this, and there are so many people waiting to help!
These teens know the future is in their hands. Life does not end after the orphanage, it is only the beginning. There are many opportunities for you to help. Any attention given to these children is greatly appreciated. Knowing that they are not forgotten can go a long way towards a bright future for the teenagers whose life-long home had always been an orphanage.