about us

Our Mission: Restoring childhoods disrupted by war

Novi team members are experts with three decades of experience helping children  and families in war-torn communities.

Our team consists of experts in child protection, education, mental health, and social work who are dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of those affected by crisis situations.

We work closely with local leaders and professionals to provide critical services and support to vulnerable communities in a wide range of settings.

Our commitment to improving the lives of those affected by war and conflict drives us to make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable.

“Novi is a Latin adjective that means "new." War may destroy countless things, but we believe that children are capable of building new and beautiful futures with our support. The Novi community is a team that stands together to help them survive and thrive.”

Oddny Gumaer
Novi Founder

our  team

Oddny Gumaer
Co-founder & CVO

For over 30 years, Oddny’s most fulfilling work has been showing compassion and calling...

For over 30 years, Oddny’s most fulfilling work has been showing compassion and calling others to care for and help the youngest victims of war.

Oddny is an accomplished writer, public speaker, and columnist with a Master of Arts in Transformational Development who applies her talent to supporting children marginalized by conflict and oppression.

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Steve Gumaer
Cofounder & CEO

Steve has dedicated his life to helping children in war-torn communities. For more than 3 de...

Steve has dedicated his life to helping children in war-torn communities. For more than 3 decades he has worked to deliver relief, aid, and programs to support families uprooted by war in SE Asia, the Middle East, and Ukraine. He has a Master’s Degree in Transformational Development, is an EMT, and is the driving force behind the development of the Novi community.

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Luke Epperson
Cofounder and CFO

Luke has worked with finance and adult education for the last 15 years. His central co...

Luke has worked with finance and adult education for the last 15 years. His central concern has been to establish healthy systems for team success and communities that are both life-giving and accountable. He has a Master’s of Business Administration and uses his craft to build healthy financial systems and strategic team processes.

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Jon Peerbolt
Development Associate

After building a career in luxury goods sales, Jon decided to turn his attention to serving...

After building a career in luxury goods sales, Jon decided to turn his attention to serving children marginalized by war. For the past 2 years, he has worked in development for international aid. He loves to get to know people and help connect them with things that bring them meaning and joy.

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Tammy Lowry
Board Member

With 25 years working in executive human resource management, Tammy brings a mult...

With 25 years working in executive human resource management, Tammy brings a multi-cultural perspective to the relationship between people and results. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology.

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Julie Edwards
Board Chairperson

Julie has managed her family business for 30 years. She brings a value for creating practic...

Julie has managed her family business for 30 years. She brings a value for creating practical systems for long-term success and stability. She has a Master of Arts degree.

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Link Grimes
Board Secretary

Holding an M.A. in Law, Link has 30 years practicing law and managing his firm. He...

Holding an M.A. in Law, Link has 30 years practicing law and managing his firm. He brings a unique blend of critical thinking, attention to detail, and optimism to the team.

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our  offices

Where we work

Novi is focused on assisting children affected by the war in Ukraine, who are deprived of basic needs, including safety, education, and nutrition, and are exposed to violence, displacement, and emotional trauma. The organization prioritizes community building, emotional support, nutritious food, and access to education to meet the primary needs of these children.

Novi's tools also help children develop self-regulation skills through structured adult-led interventions, and they collaborate with local organizations to prioritize sustainability and building partnerships that focus on prevention and intervention for vulnerable children. While over two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been forced to flee for safety, Novi's efforts are focused on the 4.5 million children who remain in Ukraine and are surviving the war.

Where we work

Novi is focused on assisting children affected by the war in Ukraine, who are deprived of basic needs, including safety, education, and nutrition, and are exposed to violence, displacement, and emotional trauma. The organization prioritizes community building, emotional support, nutritious food, and access to education to meet the primary needs of these children.

Novi's tools also help children develop self-regulation skills through structured adult-led interventions, and they collaborate with local organizations to prioritize sustainability and building partnerships that focus on prevention and intervention for vulnerable children. While over two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been forced to flee for safety, Novi's efforts are focused on the 4.5 million children who remain in Ukraine and are surviving the war.

Where we work

Novi is focused on assisting children affected by the war in Ukraine, who are deprived of basic needs, including safety, education, and nutrition, and are exposed to violence, displacement, and emotional trauma. The organization prioritizes community building, emotional support, nutritious food, and access to education to meet the primary needs of these children.

Novi's tools also help children develop self-regulation skills through structured adult-led interventions, and they collaborate with local organizations to prioritize sustainability and building partnerships that focus on prevention and intervention for vulnerable children. While over two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been forced to flee for safety, Novi's efforts are focused on the 4.5 million children who remain in Ukraine and are surviving the war.

ukraine

Address
Kyiv
email
info@novi.ngo

usa

Address
The Novi Community
PO Box 3673
Midland, TX 79702
email
info@novi.ngo

norway

Address
Novi Stiftelsen
Postboks 31
7601 Levanger
email
hans@novi.ngo
Contact us

Write to us and get more information

Thank you for your interest in our organization. If you have questions or inquiries, please send us a message and we will respond.

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