A Visit With Non-Profit Co-Founder, Deborah Gardner of One Heart Bulgaria

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Recently I visited with Start Up Princess Deborah Gardner, the Co-Founder of One Heart Bulgaria to hear about her recent trip to Bulgaria (March 2007) and get the latest updates on her non-profit that I have also been directly involved with over the years. I am personally committed to the success of One Heart Bulgaria because I lived in Bulgaria for 18 months (1994-95) as a volunteer with Deborah and Heidi Glyn Barker, co-founders experiencing Bulgarian culture firsthand, loving the people and witnessing the need for a non-profit such as One Heart Bulgaria to step in and serve thousands of devastated orphans.

A few years after returning home from Bulgaria, Deborah and Heidi Glyn Barker decided to do something to help…and founded a non-profit in both USA and in Bulgaria in 2003 to make it happen. I remember distinctively getting a call from Heidi late at night when she asked me if I would support them with this effort and serve as a Trustee and board member…I asked her, “What will I have to do?” And she replied, “I don’t know yet.” and I replied, “Great. I’m in.” It’s been an adventure ever since, most recently I produced a multiple artists benefit CD, “Courage to Shine”.

Today there is a full USA staff with Deborah serving as Executive Director and a Bulgarian staff as well. The objective behind the USA organization is to empower the Bulgarians to empower their orphaned. One Heart Bulgaria continues to develop outstanding programs that raise the level of hygiene, medical, nutrition, and educational training children ages 0-19 receive in orphanages.

On her recent trip in March to Bulgaria Deborah wanted to stay overnight with the children at the orphanages and despite being pregnant with her fifth child, she decided to sleep in the same conditions as the children and see what life was like for them. She was well-familiar with what happened when she visited the homes during the day, but it’s always been a question about what happens at night and she wanted to see firsthand. I thought this was a brave of her and it is an example of how Deborah is committed to see and hear the truth so she can be a part of making the changes necessary to improve the quality of life for these children. During this experience she became even more committed to her dream of creating “Opportunity Homes” for Teens.

Deborah’s greatest wish for One Heart Bulgaria in 2007 is to create “Opportunity Homes” for the older orphans who are being released from the orphanages at 18. Her Bulgarian Director, Nikolai Gavazov is looking for reasonably priced apartments or homes that we can renovate and turn into “Opportunity Homes.” She says, we have to find individuals or businesses who want to fund an apartment or house since OHB does not have the $40,000 to purchase a place ourselves. They can even put their name on it if they want, i.e. “The Smith Family Opportunity Home.” The LDS Humanitarian Services is most likely going to furnish it and then the Bulgarian government will provide a social worker at their cost. One Heart Bulgaria will run the program, requiring the social worker to work 40 hours a week at the home where she will teach the teens life and job skills so that they can successfully reintegrate into society after being in the program for 1 year (instead of having to prostitute themselves, deal drugs, or beg). The young adult orphans are required to pay a small rent and have a job. On my last trip, I visited a home like this that was successfully up and running in Bratsigovo–it was very impressive and really making a difference in the lives of the 12 orphans who live there.

If you can help grant Deborah’s wish or want to get involved as a sponsor to contribute to an “Opportunity Home”, volunteer, intern, or even visit orphanages in Bulgaria, please contact Deborah via the One Heart Bulgaria website or leave a comment here.

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