The Gift to Lithuania Conference

The Human Services Council of the Lithuanian- American Community (LAC), the Embassy of Lithuania, and the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Lithuanian-American Community sponsored a “Gift to Lithuania’ conference from November 5^th to the 7^th, 1999. Many humanitarian aid organizations participated. The purpose of the conference was to summarize the work that has been done; to analyze what has and has not worked; to gain an understanding of what is still required; to obtain information from individuals who have worked and have continued to work in and with Lithuania’s people in providing humanitarian assistance. We include an overview of the Conference, the discussions and results, and an inside look into the work of a humanitarian aid organization.

Jeanne Dorr, is a member of the Board of Directors of Lithuanian Orphan Care, a branch of the Human Services Council of the Lithuanian American Community, Inc. She is also a Social Studies teacher in New Jersey. Jūratė Budrienė is the Vice-President of Information Services of the Lithuanian American Community, Inc. and an active member of humanitarian service groups. Ramunė Kubilius, MALS is Head of Reference and Research Services at the Galter Health Sciences Library in Chicago, Illinois. She is a member of the “Child’s Gate to Learning” group and other Lithuanian organizations.

more about the Conference at the Lithuanian World Community site
(Lithuanian language)

An Overview

The conference, which was held at the Marriott Key Bridge Hotel in Arlington, drew participants from virtually every group involved in working for Lithuania. It was officially opened by Rūta Skučienė, LAC, Inc. Washington, DC Chapter president, and Birutė Jasaitienė, Chair, Lithuanian Human Services Council.

Remarks were made by Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis, President of the Republic of Lithuania’s Parliament, as well as the Hon. Stasys Sakalauskas, Lithuania’s Ambassador to the United States. Professor Landsbergis awarded Major General Henry A. Kievenaar, former Principle Director of the European and NATO Policy Office of the U.S. Department of State, with the State award of the Republic of Lithuania - the Third Class Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas. Also in attendance was Defense Attaché of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States and Canada, Major Kestutis Zelnys.

Vaclovas Kleiza, Hon. Counsel of the Republic of Lithuania, spoke of assistance provided to Lithuania by U.S. Lithuanians until 1940. Assistance provided to Lithuanians by American-Lithuanians from 1990 to today was discussed by John Mankus, Knights of Lithuania; Regina Juškaitė-Švobiene, Aid to Lithuania; Vida Jankauskienė, Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid; Mr. Veitas, Lithuanian Children’s Relief; and Birutė Jasaitienė, Lithuanian Human Services Council. Moderators were Vytas Narutis and Saulius Kuprys.

Dr. Regina Švobiene, President of Countryside Children’s Fund, spoke of what has been done and what is still needed. Irena Degutienė, Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Social Services and Labor Ministry, was unable to attend due to a political situation in Lithuania. Her speech was delivered by Rita Kazragienė, First Secretary of the Lithuanian Embassy.

The conference participants broke into small discussion groups focusing on medical aid, aid to children, senior citizens, and partisans. Discussion group leaders were Viligailė Lendraitienė, Indrė Tijunelienė, Jeanne Dorr and Leonas Maskaliūnas.

An evening reception was held at the Lithuanian Embassy.

Sunday morning Mass was celebrated in the hotel. Dr. John Lubicky, Chief of Staff, Chicago Shriners Hospital for Children, and Dr. Kestutis Saniukas, Chief of Orthopedics, Vilnius University Children's Hospital gave a symposium entitled "Working in Lithuania". The moderator was Dr. Linas Sidrys.

Discussion group results were read by George Lendraitis, the questionnaire response overview by Algis Augaitis, and the summary by Skirma Kondratienė. Closing remarks were offered by Juratė Budrienė.

The conference organizing committee consisted of Juratė Budrienė (Chair) Algis Augaitis, Birutė Jasaitienė, Rita Kazragienė, Ramunė Kligytė, Saulius Kuprys, Jurgis Lendraitis, Dr. Vytautas Narutis and Dr. Linas Sidrys. u

Discussion Group Results

A large portion of the "Gift to Lithuania" agenda was dedicated to exploring the way in which activities should be conducted in the future. The results of the three discussion groups are outlined below:

Current Situation — data provided by the Ministry of Social Services survey “Population Aging in Lithuania” showed:

20% of population is elderly.

Majority of elderly live in rural areas.

Destitute “city” elderly have services such as soup kitchens and medical help readily available to them -- this is NOT true in the countryside.

Focus has shifted to elderly living alone in villages.

Many of the elderly go to bed hungry.

There is a shortage/lack of medical assistance and trained social workers for the elderly.

1. Mobile/Itinerant nurses who could visit the elderly once a week.

2. More social workers are needed for the elderly in rural areas.

3. New pilot program developed — “Friends of Lithuanian Elders” — to be run by the Lithuanian Human Services Council of the U.S.A., Inc. and patterned after “Lithuanian Orphan Care”. Sponsors will donate $150.00 per month to sponsor an elderly person in a village. Long distance friendship and care may result in sponsor sending packages of needed goods once or twice a year. “Countryside Children’s Fund” (Kaimo Vaikų Fondas) and several priests working with “Lithuanian Orphan Care” will help in administering and overseeing this pilot program.

Remember: A country is judged by the way it treats its young AND its old.

The medical aid discussion group had the opportunity to discuss the strengths and successes of their programs as well as their downfalls. Most important, long-range goals were discussed and formulated.

During the discussion the following issues were addressed:

1. Most success was experienced when aid was sent directly to a hospital or medical facility. More sister-hospitals are needed, which would include educational training. medical personnel exchanges and physical structure repairs/remodeling.

2. Lithuanian physicians and dentists have requested more educational information. Current books and journals, as well as visual aids are in demand. A suggestion was made to order subscriptions for medical/dental journals when possible. More seminars and conferences conducted by U.S. physicians/universities in Lithuania would provide more doctors with the opportunity to attend conferences.

3. Establishing a more honest dialogue between a hospital in Lithuania receiving the aid and the sender is essential. Medical aid being sent should be truly needed by the hospital. Many times medical personnel feel uncomfortable to state what their specific needs are.

4. It was suggested to use more companies in Lithuania to purchase medicines, supplies, and equipment to alleviate cost and at the same time to help Lithuania’s economy. A recommendation was made to compose a list of reliable companies that have been used successfully.

5. Medicines and supplies that are sent to Lithuania need at least one year until the expiration date. No medical equipment should be sent unless requested by the hospital.

The major focus of the discussion group was to formulate long-range goals. How can we better help Lithuania’s health system?

Three major goals were formulated:

Coordinate medical efforts of U.S. organizations. Share information with each other (and others) through a web page or e-mail bank so that efforts aren’t duplicated and that we can help each other whenever possible. Partnering with Lithuania’s Ministry of Social Security Services may also help in coordinating everyone’s efforts. A big thanks to Juratė Budrienė for volunteering to implement the web page and e-mail bank.

Focus on education programs. Public Health Education is essential. Last year the University of Illinois provided a curriculum and initiated a health class in some of Klaipėda’s middle schools. Šiauliai has instituted this same program this year. It is important to expand this program throughout Lithuania and to incorporate A.P.P.L.E., so that more Lithuanian teachers are trained to teach the class. It is necessary to address issues of hygiene (including dental hygiene), smoking, alcohol, drugs, and sex in the schools.

There is a need to tap resources of foundations for more funding. It is essential to find specialists in this area who may approach companies and foundations. The search is on. Maybe someone here today knows someone in this area.

Availability of professionals with great ideas and programs to take to Lithuania.

Hospital staffs maximize the benefits of aid received.

Evaluating each request for aid according to the importance of the project.

Representatives in Lithuania and the charity in U.S. evaluate requests for aid.

Requesting help from Lithuanian-Americans who take pride in their heritage.

Direct contact with the families or institutions receiving support.

Asking for donations of educational aids in stores and garage sales.

Mentoring of one group by another in anti-smoking, anti-drug and alcohol lifestyles.

Focusing attention on a specific group, rather than general aid.

Sponsoring specific children, helping soup kitchens, scholarships for students to continue studying in Lithuania.

Raising money.

Sometimes it is unclear exactly what kind of help is needed.

Slow response in acknowledging donations.

In the Lithuanian language, the laws are vague about tax deductions for donations to charity.

Working with various government institutions.

It is difficult to find new people to be officers of charitable organizations.

Receiving large grants or endowments for non-local children’s charity.

Do a serious needs analysis.

A newsletter about the activities of the various charitable organizations would be helpful.

Aid needs to go directly, not through state institutions.

Empower people to help themselves.

Have more follow-up to insure correct distribution of donations.

Donations from corporations, industry, matching funds.

Having a reliable network in Lithuania is essential.

Having direct contact with those receiving aid is both satisfying and useful.

Paying for implemented improvements after receiving receipt for work done is advisable, rather than giving cash to remodel.

Concerns were expressed about adoptions.

Although aid is needed, burnout and fatigue may prove to be a problem to aid providers.

Direct contact and two-way honest communication with Lithuanian groups, hospitals, orphanages, and nursing homes -- so that needs are clear and that donations of aid and financial support end up helping those that are in need.

Education for medical personnel (as well as teachers and social workers) is needed so that Lithuanian professionals receive the latest information and are trained in the latest techniques — to empower the Lithuanian people to do more for themselves.

Money -- more is needed from fundraising and grants.

There is a need for coordination of efforts of U.S. organizations.

More people are needed to volunteer and help out with Lithuania’s problems -- here and there. u

Child’s Gate to Learning recently celebrated its first anniversary. The group, called “Vaiko vartai į mokslą” in Lithuanian, is a grassroots collaboration first begun in the Chicago area in 1998 by a group of present or retired teachers and others who sought a way to help Lithuania’s children. The group is now in the process of incorporating. In the past year, an energetic affiliated group of Child’s Gate to Learning was founded in Detroit, and persons in other cities have expressed interest in the group.

The group’s founding members identified a niche not addressed by current Lithuanian-American humanitarian projects in North America. Retired French teacher Rita Venclovas and other women listened to a paper read at a Symposium on the Arts and Sciences meeting in Chicago, which mentioned the very real problem of underage children from asocial families in Lithuania who do not attend school.

Soon after, the women spoke with and informally met with Sister Daiva Kuzmickas, a social worker and doctoral student from Lithuania; dr. Rūta Kulys, a University of Illinois at Chicago social work professor and one of the founders of the social work graduate school program at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania; and native Chicagoan (Cicero, really) dr. Arvydas Žygas, a major force in the revival of the Lithuanian Catholic association, “Ateities” in Lithuania whose members are largely high school and university students. All confirmed that the problem was very serious and did not bode well for Lithuania’s future generations.

An idea to form an aid group was born. Much valuable advice and support was given during the first year from the Lithuanian-American Community’s Human Services Council president, Birutė Jasaitis, as well as academics who gave advice about doing research, writing grant proposals, etc.

In 1998, the initial group founded in Chicago planned only to draft a letter to then Minister of Education, Kornelijus Platelis, urging him to give particular attention to Lithuania’s underage children who were not attending school. It was realized that trying to initiate societal or political change from across the ocean was not enough. The initiators re-examined their plans and a new grassroots-working model was formed.

Child’s Gate to Learning decided to identify and support efforts already under way in Lithuania that work with street children. It was acknowledged that these projects seemed to have a common aim of encouraging these children to leave their street lives for more purposeful activities. Various fun outings are organized for them; they learn crafts, they learn to play on a team through sports. Most importantly, they have returned to school. The support they receive, along with the activities, assure the children and adolescents that someone cares; it gives them a sense of purpose to outweigh the hard lives many of them have at home with alcoholic or otherwise troubled parents. The underlying goal is to impress upon them that their future success is better ensured by continuing their education.

Child’s Gate began charging a nominal membership fee to its members who meet every month or so. This formed a funding base for sending packages to the projects supported in Lithuania’s villages. Sending the packages in the large containers sent by other humanitarian groups was not an option. Those are delivered only to large cities. In order to have the packages delivered directly to the religious and teachers working in villages, Children’s Gate to Learning has paid for and sent packages via other means. Educational materials and sports supplies, toys, and t-shirts have been sent to support projects now under way. Letters and postcards of gratitude and progress reports on successes have already been forthcoming.

The group has conducted fundraisers to send material support: neighborhood garage sales, a Halloween “Witches’ Luncheon” (Raganų pietūs) with a children’s talent show and raffle, and cake sales during Lithuanian Christmas bazaars. T-shirts were designed and sent to the “Vilties angelai” group so that the sports team would have a “uniform” when playing sports against other teams. In Chicago, core group members have approached friends and acquaintances in the American community receiving donations of both money and gifts for the children.

In Detroit, the newly established group of about twenty enthusiastic women gathered enough school and other supplies in two weeks to fill 30 boxes, which were then sent to Rumboniai village. It is planned that groups in various cities may choose to use either similar means of raising awareness and funds for the projects, or they may try others. Whichever means they choose, the plan is that they will begin to support projects Child’s Gate to Learning has already identified.

In the past year, Child’s Gate identified some groups in large Lithuanian metropolitan areas and in the countryside where dedicated religious and teachers were already working with former street children. So far, contact has been maintained with the “Vilties angelai” (Hope’s Angels) project and “Visų šventuju” (All Saints) parish in Vilnius, a group in Marijampolė, and efforts in Rumboniai and Obeliai villages. The aim is to provide continuing moral and material support to these few projects, rather than to try duplicating other projects or spreading out too thinly.

A subgroup of Child’s Gate formed to write grant proposals to large American corporations asking for funding. During the grant writing process, the need for a Board of Directors arose; so, three capable professionals from the Chicago area Lithuanian-American community were sought out. All agreed to help without hesitation. Such is the support Child’s Gate founders have felt since their idea was first born.

Many of Child’s Gate to Learning members already work with other projects (such as A.P.P.L.E., "Saulutė", and "Ateitis"), but they have seen Child’s Gate as a complementary, not duplicating effort. There has been a gratifying indication that volunteerism is on the rise in Lithuania. The director of one of the projects in Vilnius has written that she has been able to interest university students who belong to the “Ateitis” organization in helping occupy the children in their after school activities. (One “Ateitis” guideline is that members should be involved in their communities.) With support on both sides of the Atlantic, the efforts of dedicated persons need not be done solo.

The next stage of Child’s Gate will probably begin in early 2000 when founding member Rita Venclovas and others plan to visit Lithuania for longer or shorter periods, and work side-by-side with some of the dedicated Lithuanians through a coordinated program now called L.E.A.P. (Lithuanian Educational Assistance Program).

BRIDGES articles by Jeannie Dorr and others have always been very interesting to readers. They have shown that for those who care, there is always work to be done for Lithuania and Lithuanians. In the past year, Child’s Gate to Learning has joined in this worthy and satisfying endeavor. Its members networked with other Lithuanian American humanitarian aid group members at a recent conference in Washington, D.C., and the enthusiasm to work continues into the New Year. For more information about Child’s Gate to Learning, contact Rita Venclovas (e-mail venclovas@aol.com) or by writing to 507 Longfellow, Deerfield, IL 60015. u

— Ramuné Kubilius