Dr. Haass Social Assistance Fund is the first non-profitable non-governmental charitable organization (NPO) in the Soviet Union, founded on November 26, 1987 in Odessa (Ukrainian SSR). It is named after a famous Russian philanthropist, "Saint Doctor", Friedrich Joseph Haass (1780–1853).
Contents
The most comprehensive official study of diverse charitable activities of the Fund has found its documentary reflection in the report of the Standing Committee on Social Policy of the Odessa City Council on May 17, 2000 as well as in the documentary film about the activity of the Fund Independent experts of the Standing Committee estimated the Fund charitable assistance to people in need, and to social institutions, at a total amount of more than eight million US dollars, as of 2000.
History
Graduates of the Faculty of Law of Odessa State Mechnikov University (OSU) Oleg Kutateladze and Alexander Muchnik were the founders of the Fund. OSU Professors supported the creation and formation of the Fund: the Head of the Department of Philosophy Tamara Tarasenko (1939–1992), who became the first Сhairman of the Board of the Fund, and the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Doctor of Law, Professor, Academician Anatoly S. Vasilyev (1938–2015), who became a member of the Board of the Fund.
Charity
Over the years the Fund has established and funded a number of different charities and programs, the most significant of which are: Janusz Korczak Institute of medical rehabilitation of children with central nervous system lesion (September 6, 1989, Odessa, USSR). For many years Doctor of Medicine, professor, UNICEF expert Irina Viktorovna Galina has been the leader of the Institute. During its activity the Institute has treated more than 12 thousand children with organic and functional diseases of the central nervous system, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, Down syndrome, epilepsy, autism, and so on.
Mother Maria Mercy Center (August 9, 1989, Odessa, USSR). In its three hospitals, located in Odessa (in Gamarnik street, 13, apt 14, Prospect Mira, 37, and Tereshkova street, 12 "b" apt 21), highly qualified doctors and nurses, under the guairdiance of PhD Boris G. Khersonsky at the beginning and Boris G. Khersonsky (Russian) later by Vladimir E. Gemusov (1939–2014), took care of elderly single people. The Center staff also provided medical care and social protection to elderly single people at home.
Youth Charitable Institution "Humanist" (May 15, 1990, Odessa, USSR), which with the active participation of high-school students and students of Odessa secondary and higher educational medical institutions, under the leadership of Lyubov G. Bogomolova, regularly provided social, medical and psychological care for elderly people who live alone.
Center for Psychosocial Support (November 15, 1990, Odessa, USSR), including youth service helpline, under the supervision of a physician Leopold N. Mendelsohn. Every night it provided emergency psychological assistance to young people who found themselves in difficult life situations. Center initiated the creation of the Association of hotlines (1990), the Ukrainian association of telephone consultants (1992), as well as the International Workshop telephone consultants.
Institute of Democracy and Human Rights (June 15, 2000, Odessa, Ukraine).
International relationships
Fruitful activity of the Fund fairly quickly gained international recognition. On May 28, 1991 A. G. Muchnik made a presentation on the history and activities of the Fund in the Center for the Study of Philanthropy (New York City, United States), and a brochure was published by the Centre and distributed among the US charitable organizations. On July 15, 1991 Muchnik gave a presentation on the activities of the Fund in the United Nations Office at Vienna Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs (Vienna, Austria).
Partnerships
The Partner is the Society of friends of Dr. F.J. Haass (Bad Münstereifel, Germany).