Aboutus

About OpenJoy Foundation

Built on five years of experience.
Inspired by the real needs of our community.

For five years, we have been working with children and families through creative events, theater performances, master classes, and celebrations. We saw how much joy and emotional growth these experiences brought to children — and we also saw something else.

Many families in our community, especially single parents, families with limited financial resources, and newly arrived immigrant families, quietly struggle. They want the best for their children, but they often cannot afford classes, workshops, or holiday events. Children miss out on creativity, social experiences, and the simple feeling of being included.
Watching this year after year made our next step very clear.

OpenJoy Foundation was created to respond to this need.
Our purpose is to make joy, creativity, and meaningful childhood moments accessible to every child — not only to those who can pay, but especially to those who cannot.

Our experience shaped our purpose.
Our community shaped our mission.

Mission

Our mission is to make meaningful, creative, and joyful experiences accessible to every child — especially children from families with limited financial resources, single-parent households, multi-child families, and newly arrived immigrant families.
We provide free and low-cost community events, creative workshops, and interactive theatrical experiences that help children feel included, grow emotionally, and build positive childhood memories.

Vision

We envision a community where financial limitations, single parenthood, or the challenges of immigration never prevent a child from experiencing joy, creativity, emotional development, and a sense of belonging.s.

Board of Directors

Our leadership team brings experience in working with children, events, and community programs. Together, we guide the mission and ensure responsible governance of OpenJoy Foundation.

Vanda Medvedovskaya

President + Treasurer

Vanda oversees the strategic direction of the organization, long-term planning, financial management, and overall mission alignment. With over five years of experience working with children and community programs, she ensures that all operations support OpenJoy Foundation’s mission and values.
Sergey Filazapovich

Secretary and Creative Director

Sergey develops and supervises all program content, including creative workshops, children’s theater, and community event experiences. His vision shapes the artistic and educational quality of OpenJoy Foundation’s programming.
Katerina Sharm

Independent Board Member

Katerina serves as an independent director providing objective oversight, governance support, and decision-making guidance. Her role strengthens accountability and ensures that the organization operates with transparency and integrity.
Mark Ingerman

Independent Board Member

Mark is a long-time local business owner and educator with extensive experience working with children through after-school and early childhood programs. He brings valuable community insight, operational understanding, and child-centered perspective to the Board. His independent role strengthens OpenJoy Foundation’s governance, accountability, and connection to local families.

How We Operate

OpenJoy Foundation is a registered nonprofit corporation in Pennsylvania.
Our 501(c)(3) application is pending. Donations are currently not tax deductible.
We follow state and IRS guidelines for charitable organizations and are committed to transparency and accountability.

Donations are used to support:

community holiday events
creative and educational workshops
interactive children’s theater
programs for children of single parents and families with limited financial resources
activities supporting newly arrived immigrant families
staff, materials, insurance, and operational costs