Wide Awake International

What Wide Awake International does

Wide Awake International is a US 501c3 nonprofit organization (registered in Oregon, founded in July 2013) that supports the deinstitutionalization and community-based care of adults with intellectual and physical disabilities in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region. Its core work is delivered through "The Homestead," a residential property in a village in north-central Ukraine that includes family homes, a duplex, a summer kitchen, a woodworking shop, gardens, and a barn. Seven adult men — Vlad, Boris, Anton, Ruslan, Sasha, Vova, and Yaroslav — have been removed from the Romaniv psycho-neurological institution and brought under Wide Awake's legal guardianship, with care supported by a 19-person team of house parents, daytime assistants, therapists (speech, occupational, special education), medical staff (with a functional medicine approach pursued by co-founder Kim Johnson, RN/BSN), and logistical personnel. The operating model is a holistic care framework addressing spiritual, medical, therapeutic, vocational, and community integration needs, intentionally designed to inspire cultural change and be replicated by others.

The business model is donation-funded with no commercial product or pricing model. Revenue is generated through four streams: recurring individual donations, capital campaign contributions targeted at construction (Homestead completion, duplex), legacy/estate giving, and grant funding from nonprofits and foundations. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: a global supporter base is engaged through a weekly newsletter, blog, podcast (Buzzsprout), YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook under the Ukrainian arm's "Dim Hidnosti" (Dignity Home) branding. Distribution channels include online donations via website and mail check to a Salem, Oregon PO Box, long-term volunteer recruitment (minimum two-year commitment), and direct service delivery at the Homestead. There is no app, API, or technology platform; the "technology" consists of care methodology and operational processes rather than software.

In 2025, the organization completed an internal leadership transition in which Ukrainian team member Oleg gained legal guardianship of Sasha, marking the shift from US-led founding stewardship under co-founders Jed and Kim Johnson to a fully Ukrainian-led effort under Dim Hidnosti. Co-founder Masha has transitioned into the Executive Director role of Dim Hidnosti over recent years. The Johnson family announced a temporary relocation from Ukraine to Oregon to pursue medical care for several of the boys, while the operational base has remained at the Homestead in Ukraine. The organization has continued capacity expansion despite the ongoing war, including completion of the duplex in two phases and planning for a multipurpose building to house offices, apartments, and large group events.

Name

Wide Awake International

Legal name

Wide Awake International

Website

https://wideawakeinternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wide Awake International is a US 501c3 nonprofit that supports deinstitutionalization of men with intellectual and physical disabilities in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region. Through its Ukrainian arm Dim Hidnosti, it operates the Homestead where 19 staff deliver family-based residential care for 7 men removed from the Romaniv institution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Social Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Disability care services
• Deinstitutionalization programs
• Residential care homes
• Community-based care
• Guardianship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Financial contributions from individuals including monthly supporters who commit to regular donations to help plan and secure programs for the future
2. Capital Campaign Contributions: Donations specifically targeted toward construction projects such as completing the Homestead and expanding capacity
3. Legacy Giving: Estate planning donations to ensure lasting legacy of love and care for the boys beyond founders' lifetimes
4. Grant Funding: Support from organizations including grants from various nonprofits and foundations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wide Awake International is a US 501c3 nonprofit that brings boys and men with intellectual and physical disabilities out of institutions in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region and into family-based care at the Homestead. Core services include legal guardianship, residential family-home living (Homestead home, duplex, apartments with house parents), medical care coordination, speech/occupational/special education therapy, spiritual development, equine-assisted activities, and community integration. The Ukrainian nonprofit arm Dim Hidnosti (Dignity Home) operates as the primary local organization.

Product overview

Wide Awake International is a US 501c3 nonprofit organization (registered in Oregon) focused on deinstitutionalization in Ukraine. Their work is carried out through the Homestead in the Zhytomyr Region of Ukraine, providing family-based care for men with intellectual disabilities. The organization does not offer technology products or services; rather, their mission is delivered through direct social services including residential care (duplex homes, apartments), team-based support (house parents, assistants, therapists), and advocacy work. The Ukrainian arm operates under the name Dim Hidnosti (Dignity Home).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 7 men brought out of institutions into family care
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dominican Hospital Santa Cruz (Dr. Nicholas Abidi and staff)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Medical team in California who donated Ruslan's life-changing foot surgery. Dr. Nicholas Abidi performed the surgery at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. Steve, Debbie, Diane, and Jasmine provided additional support for Ruslan's care and recovery.
• Ukrainian ChurchesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Ukrainian churches where boys attend services regularly and team members participate in community life
• Ukrainian PKU CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian families and individuals with PKU who have donated extra formula and support for Vova's dietary treatment
• Dim Hidnosti (Dignity Home)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian nonprofit arm of Wide Awake International. 'Dim Hidnosti' means 'Dignity Home' or 'House of Dignity' in Ukrainian. Wide Awake does not translate well into Ukrainian, so the Ukrainian organization uses this name. By 2025, Dim Hidnosti became the primary operating organization with Ukrainian leadership, representing the fulfillment of the founders' dream for Ukrainian ownership of the work.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Christian Horizons: Faith-based nonprofit supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential homes, day programs, and community services. Direct overlap with Wide Awake's mission, residential model, and faith-based positioning.
• Joni and Friends: Christian disability ministry focused on disability advocacy, family support, and wheelchair distribution globally. Shares the faith-driven, donor-supported, disability-focused service model and storytelling-driven engagement.
• L'Arche International: Global federation of communities where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live together with non-disabled assistants in family-style homes. Most comparable to Wide Awake's family home, house-parent, and small-group living model for adults with IDD.
• Bethesda Lutheran Communities: Faith-based, US-headquartered nonprofit providing residential and community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable as a Christian-anchored IDD services organization with a strong donor/volunteer ecosystem.

Others

• Lifeline Children's Services: Faith-based adoption and orphan care organization with significant Eastern European operations. Comparable as a Christ-centered, donor-supported organization serving institutionalized and at-risk children in the same region.
• Antioch Partners International: Faith-based nonprofit supporting Ukrainian churches, pastors, and humanitarian projects. Comparable as a US-based, donor-supported organization partnering with Ukrainian entities on long-term community development.

Regional players

• Hope for Ukraine: US-based nonprofit raising funds and providing humanitarian support inside Ukraine. Operates in a similar donor- and faith-driven model serving vulnerable Ukrainian populations, including support for those with disabilities.
• Embrace Ukraine: Faith-based nonprofit supporting children and families affected by the war in Ukraine, including vulnerable populations. Highly comparable regional peer given shared faith-based framing, Ukraine focus, and donor-driven funding model.

Emerging players

• CoorDown (Coordinamento Nazionale Associazioni Persone con Sindrome di Down): Italian national coordination of Down syndrome associations providing advocacy, family support, and community inclusion. Comparable thematic peer in the IDD advocacy and family-inclusion space, though focused on a different geography and disability profile.
• Macula Ukraine / Ukrainian Disability NGO sector: Refers to the broader cluster of Ukrainian disability NGOs and advocacy groups (e.g., Fight for Right, Synergy of the Soul) operating in the same institutional-reform and inclusion space within Ukraine. Comparable regional peer set, though larger and more advocacy-focused than Wide Awake's direct-care model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7WbH1bvMQsupv-95vOeNFA
• Facebookfacebook.com/DimHidnostiUkraine
• Instagraminstagram.com/dim_hidnosti_ukraine
• Xx.com/wideawakeint
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wide-awake-international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wide Awake International