In late January, the east coast experienced the snowstorm of the decade, burying Washington, D.C. beneath eight inches of ice and snow. One of the busiest cities in America was brought to a crawl, but that didn’t stop Kidsave’s team. From January 21–31, Kidsave welcomed a delegation of Ukrainian child welfare leaders to Washington, D.C. through the Open World Program in partnership with the Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL). Their objective was to learn more about the U.S. child welfare system and the policies and practices that impact foster care and adoption. Despite record-low temperatures and snow-covered sidewalks, our Ukrainian colleagues remained excited and motivated, moving forward with the experience with open minds and hearts.
“Working with these inspiring and brave professionals from Ukraine turned this icy January into one of the warmest, most meaningful experiences of my life,” said Kidsave’s Washington, D.C. Director, Jenny Lawhorn Sammis. “From trips to American grocery stores, to meetings on Capitol Hill, this was the most exciting work I’ve done yet at Kidsave. These professionals all embody Kidsave’s passion for connecting kids with mentors and families. I can’t wait to host another delegation next year.”
Joining the exchange were: Pavlo Shulha of Mykolaiv, President of the Association of Mentoring for Children and Youth, as well as a Kidsave partner, who has helped evacuate more than 35,000 civilians—half of them children—since the onset of the war; Alona Boiko of Kyiv, Operations Manager at the Coordination Center for Family Upbringing and Child Care Development; Oksana Cherviakova of Kharkiv, Representative of the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights; Tetiana Tsyba of Kyiv, Member of the Verkhovna Rada and the Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights; Yurii Kalinovskyi of the Sumy Region, Head of the Child Protection Service of the Sumy Regional State Administration; and returning Open World delegate Tatiana Skrypka, also a Member of the Verkhovna Rada, who used insights from her 2024 visit, to introduce mentoring legislation in Ukraine. Nata Kravchuk of the Khmelnytskyi Region, Head of Subdivision for Kidsave Ukraine, served as interpreter and facilitator throughout the visit.
Our first stop, after an enjoyable Amtrak trip south, and just before Sunday’s record snowfall, was Richmond, Virginia. There, the delegation met Delegate Kathy Tran at the Virginia General Assembly and Denise Wise-David of Jewish Family Services Richmond, one of Kidsave’s key Weekend Miracles Virginia partners. These meetings offered a close look at how Virginia’s legal and policy systems support adoption, foster care, and permanency through family connection.
Although many meetings had to be rescheduled due to the storm, the group was still able to meet in person with key staff from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, including Ukraine representatives working on child protection and repatriation. Delegates also learned from child welfare attorneys at the American Bar Association and executives from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), while Robert Matthews, Vice President at Think of Us, provided an eye-opening explanation of how the U.S. child welfare system operates—and how social workers support youth transitioning out of care.
The delegation also met with representatives from the offices of Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska and Congressman Greg Landsman of Ohio, both strong proponents of supporting Ukraine’s children, as well as Tim Kaine staffer, Rebecca Howard, and senior staff from Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office
Throughout the week, Yurii Kalinovskyi of the Sumy Region carried a Ukrainian flag with him and invited the policymakers, advocates, and partners we met to sign messages of hope and encouragement for Ukraine’s children. He brought the signed flag back to Sumy, where it is now proudly displayed in his office as a reminder of the international solidarity supporting vulnerable youth.
Amid the policy discussions, our Board Member and professional DC tour guide, Ella Schiralli, made sure the group experienced some of Washington’s cultural landmarks, leading visits to the National Air and Space Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.
Host families played an equally powerful role in the exchange. Bill Gillen, who welcomed Oksana into his home, was deeply moved by a gift she brought from her daughters back in Kharkiv. “We loved hosting Oksana and were able to share videos with her daughters back home. She gave us a beautiful painting they made of a star shining in the darkness,” he shared. “It felt like a symbol of hope for Ukraine.”
For Joanne Mann, who hosted Alona, some of the most meaningful moments came during quiet coffee walks through the snow. “We bonded over conversations about our shared responsibility to protect children,” she said. “As a teacher, I’m a mandated reporter, something Ukraine doesn’t yet have. I admire the toughness and determination of these brave professionals.”
As the delegation came to a close, there was much to be thankful for. Ukrainian members left encouraged, energized and motivated by new partnerships and ideas. At the farewell dinner, Pavlo Shulha, offered a compelling story about collaboration and the progress that can occur when people work together.
Kidsave CEO, Randi Thompson, added that “We came as colleagues with very similar goals and ideals, but I think the best part of the International Leadership Open World Program is that we leave as friends.” The partnerships formed during this exchange do not end here. When Thompson visits the Kidsave Miracles Center in Ukraine this summer, she is excited to continue to collaborate, strengthen friendships and work towards lasting change for children. These friendships are “now together forever.”
