Richard Jankov is a CPA with a heart for youth. Believing that God is faithful and would give His children the desires of their heart, Richard and his wife Margret began a youth outreach from his local church in Phoenix, AZ. Struggling to balance the needs of his employer, family, church and ministry to youth caused him to begin to ask God for a clear direction of God’s call for him and his family.
After several years of working with youth and seeing the importance of reaching the unchurched and the churched youth with the glorious message of God’s grace for abundant living, God opened the door for Richard and his family to move to Wooster, OH where the work of UBY could move forward on a full-time basis.
Richard left his full-time job as chief financial officer of a real estate development and management company and began full-time ministry work as the executive director of Upward Bound Youth.
Upward Bound Youth is a ministry of God’s Spirit and a result of His faithfulness. UBY was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1997 and is based in Wooster, OH. Through the work of Richard and Margret Jankov, the Board of Directors, Young Mentors, and many volunteers the ministry to youth in Wooster and around North America, and across the Atlantic to Europe is progressing.
In addition, young men and women from the mentoring program and other youth programs facilitated by UB Y are working in churches as youth pastors, youth leaders, teachers and also contributing their talents in music and sharing their love with others.