Annual Report | Wings for Kids | 2021-2022

We envision a world where there is equity in academics, opportunity, and emotional well-being for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status. We work to equip kids in at-risk communities with the skills they need to succeed in school, stay in school, and thrive in life.

This Annual Report is dedicated to the late Hayes Mizell who served on the WINGS board from 2003-2008 and 2010-2015; he was voted a Board Member for Life in 2016. Because of Hayes’ dedication and belief in the importance of evaluation and impact as well as his passion for kids - WINGS is the high-quality, high-performing, high-impact organization it is today. WINGS is grateful that he was a part of our family and we are forever thankful for his guidance.

"If we are going to grow, we need to make sure we are truly making a difference and that we are ensuring our program is quality."

HIGH QUALITY, HIGH PERFORMING, HIGH IMPACT

∙

I cannot be more grateful that you're a part of the WINGS family. Wings for Kids is growing - AND IMPACTING - more kids each year because of your trust in us!

Last year, we fostered 26 partnerships throughout the country

∙ In collaboration with Discovery Education, WINGS reached 4.2 million students in classrooms coast-to-coast.

∙ The heart of our work are the 723 kids who were mentored by 105 WINGS Leaders in our no-cost for families after school programs across the southeast.

Our nationally recognized, high-quality, high-performing, high-impact programs are only possible because of YOUR generosity.

But we’re not stopping here - WINGS has the bold goal to impact 8 MILLION kids by 2025!!

Although each child will be reached in different ways - they will all have a common thread - our Words to Live By.

These simple stanzas are the foundation of everything we teach, the epitome of our culture and our mantra; they are the compass our kids use to navigate all aspects of academic, work and family life. Essential life skills are often not intentionally taught in school but are imperative for a person’s future success -- like how to tackle challenges, learn from mistakes, use self-control and how to work as a team.

Thank you for being a changemaker AND understanding the deep impact these life skills have. Together we can give kids across the country the critical skills they need in order to succeed in school, stay in school, and thrive in life.

Bridget Laird

Bridget Laird, CEO

WINGS means a bunch of things to me but mostly it is somewhere that I can go and my WINGS Leader will make my day better."

- E'Phoria, Cainhoy Elementary

AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING

WINGS Afterschool is an education program that weaves a high-caliber, comprehensive social emotional learning curriculum into an engaging and intentional afterschool program. Serving students who attend Title 1 elementary and middle schools in the Southeast, programs operate at school sites or local community centers. WINGS works to raise all the funds needed so each child attends afterschool programming from 2:30-5:30PM, five days a week, at zero cost for families.

PARTNERSHIPS

Partner Projects are customized consultations where we work in partnership with organizations to determine how best to integrate social emotional learning into their existing culture, daily teaching practices, and activities with students.

WORKSHOPS

TRAININGS

CONFERENCES

We provide workshops, trainings, and present at conferences nationwide to empower youth workers, organizations, and schools with the knowledge and skills to strengthen programming with SEL opportunities.

Wings for Kids, Allstate Foundation, and Discovery Education joined forces in the Fall of 2019 to launch Soar with Wings: a website created to equip educators throughout the country with digital resources focused on social emotional learning in the classroom and beyond.

Two years into living through and with COVID-19 has made it clear that kids need a variety of coping skills to thrive in the new normal. Skills like understanding emotions, learning how to resolve conflict, recognizing effort - these skills help kids heal, learn, and grow.

After one year of attending WINGS, 88% of kids developed strong social emotional skills, improved behavior in school, and became more attached to school.

OF THE 283

ADULTS SURVEYED: 94% OF CAREGIVERS agree that WINGS operates high-quality, engaging, safe programs where kids want to attend and feel part of a supportive community. 99% OF CAREGIVERS were pleased with the WINGS program overall, while 97% OF FAMILIES were satisfied with our family engagement opportunities.

OF THE 262

WINGS ALUMNI ARE WRITING — ABOUT EMOTIONS

This past year was a BIG one for WINGS alumni: former staff and students published books for kids and adults. Sasha, Isiah, and Jamita have used their time in WINGS as a platform to help others soar. We are so thrilled by you three; thank you for making WINGS proud!

SASHA FARR, LMSW

Former WINGS student, 2003-2005 52 Week Mental Health Journal: A-Z

As Sasha says: “Your mind matters!” A Licensed Master Social Worker, Sasha published her book of journal prompts to provide a tool to help challenge our thoughts and process our emotions. Currently living and working in Charleston, Sasha is passionate about addressing the stigma surrounding mental health and guides individuals to become the best version of themselves.

Find Sasha’s book on Amazon!

ISIAH LACEFIELD, LPC

Former WINGS Leader, 2005-2008 Emotions: Communicate, Teach, & Move: How Emotions Help Us Live Our Best Lives

It comes as no surprise to us that Isiah has written three books, started an emotional awareness clothing line, and is an adjunct professor of psychology in New York City. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Isiah wrote Emotions: Communicate, Teach, and Move as a way to further his personal mission of inspiring hope, love, joy, and self-actualization. Isiah believes in a world where love dwells and peace resides, even if the last hope remains in you!

Find Isiah’s books on Amazon and his apparel at thriving-mindset.myshopify.com

JAMITA BROWN, M.Ed

Former WINGS Leader, 2013-2015 Lilly in the Valley: Social and Emotional Learning Book to Navigate Through Big Emotions

“My purpose and passion for youth stem from the desire to structure welcoming environments for kids to thrive, walk in boldness, and be emboldened.” As an elementary school counselor, Jamita’s books serve as a tool to help kids navigate through their emotions and heal from their low places. Her dedication to kids fueled her to start “The Fearfully Made Creative, LLC” an indie publishing company to birth more social emotional learning books. We’re in awe of you, Jamita!

Find Lilly in the Valley and its accompanying workbook on Amazon!

BIG HEARTS

DONOR GIFTS MADE FROM JULY 1, 2021 - JUNE 30, 2022

BOARD

David Morley, Chair

Toya Hampton, Secretary

Steve Ward, Treasurer

Arthur Rosen, Nominating Chair

Kerri Chisolm

Rahul Dembla

Sh’Kur Francis

Lucy Weathers Hund

Deborah Kennedy Kennard

Wenda Harris Millard

Carol Rawle

Allie Simmons

Michael Toscano Rebecca Ufkes

Avis Umstead

LIFETIME BOARD MEMBERS

Ginny Deerin, Founder

Rusty Bennett

Kate Huey

Pat Ilderton Hayes Mizell#

Judith Ranger Smith

Chad Walldorf

PARTNERSHIPS

Advocating Young Minds Bright from the Start

CCSD - Office of Expanded Learning (Kaleidoscope)

Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit

Charleston Promise Neighborhood City Care

Detroit Leadership Academy Downtown Durham YMCA

Eden Housing

Flatbush Development Corp Grand Valley State University Gwinnett United in Drug Education Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre

Mystic Learning Center

Playmates Preschools and Child Development Centers

School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties

Steve Smith Family Foundation

Teach for America South Carolina

Temple Independent School District YMCA of Metro Atlanta

Youngstown State University

COMMUNITY PARTNERS /ENRICHMENT

Alonzo Taylor

Art with Mr. Gargona

Atlanta Youth Rugby Band with Mr. Lancaster Born II Dance

C.S. Fitness

Dance with Ms. Rhymer Engineering for Kids First Tee

Girls Inc.

Healthy Plate Living Junior Achievment Lango Kids Mad Park

Music with Kids Zachary Taylor Music with Mrs. Howard Nexplore Soccer Shots STEM for Kids

Still Rose Yoga USTA South Tennis Yes! Dance

DONORS

$500,000 + Allstate Foundation Georgia Department of Education

$200,000 + Cummins Foundation NoVo Foundation

$75,000 + Fulton County Dept. of Housing and Community Development

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services South Carolina Department of Education Trident United Way United Way of the Midlands

$40,000 + Elhapa Foundation, Inc The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation United Way of Greater Atlanta Steve and Julie Ziff

$20,000 + Anonymous Dorothy D. Smith Charitable Foundation Kate and John Huey**

Jean & James Rion Endowment* The Leon Levine Foundation Wenda Harris Millard** Ross Stores Foundation Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Suzan and Stephen Zoukis**

$10,000 + John and Mary Lou Barter Bennett Thrasher Foundation

Dominion Energy South Carolina Corporate Philanthropy Carol Fishman** Paul and Joanne Hennessy Lucy and Caleb Hund** Kennard Kennedy Family Fund** Dave and Cheryl Morley** Pathfinder Foundation Rafferty-Hay Family Charitable Fund

Scott Hudgens Family Foundation

The Pitney Bowes Foundation

$5,000 + Rusty and Anne Bennett** Blackbaud Fund*

The Center for Sales Strategy

Charleston County Community Investment

John and Elizabeth Cleveland

Colbert Family Fund*

Finn Brooks Family Foundation

Henry and Sylvia Yaschik Foundation

Nordstrom Corporate Giving Program

Carol and David Rawle in honor of Ginny Deerin**

John and Kathy Roberts and Family**

Roof Endowment*

Arthur and Candace Rosen** Allie and Read Simmons** Bakker Family Fund* Rebecca Ufkes** Jesse Vickers

$1,000 + American Express Anonymous Charlotte Beers and Billy Beadleston Blackbaud, Inc.

Christ Our King Church Daltorio Family Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation Todd Davis

Ginny Deerin** Lura Delaney Jay Glenn and Christine Deviney Dollar General Literacy Foundation

The Employees Community Fund of Boeing South Carolina

Lisa Huffines

Ingevity

Lowcountry Unity Fund*

Valerie Luther March For Our Lives South Carolina

Cathy Marino** Becky Marson** Max and Helen Philippson Foundation

Don Miller

Hayes Mizell# and Kate Swanson**

NATCA Charitable Foundation

Judith Neilson in honor of David Rawle

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Pullano Family Medicine

John and Alexandra Read Donald and Michelle Richards Conley and Meredith Rollins in honor of Ginny Deerin

Rotary Club of Mount Pleasant Howard C. Rowland

Saul Alexander Foundation* Abe Schear

The Schreiber Family Impact FundNicholas and Sarah Schreiber Skelly Family Fund* **

South Carolina Ports Authority

BIG HEARTS

DONOR GIFTS MADE FROM JULY 1, 2021 - JUNE 30, 2022

Nicole St. Pierre**

The Austin Memorial Foundation

The Bill, Jennie & Harry Ackerman Foundation Trust

The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Gary and Mary Beth Thornhill Volvo Car USA Operations

Sherry Wallace Chad and Jena Walldorf**

Steve and Bethney Ward**

$1-$999

Adirondack FoundationJenkins Fund

Air Force Chaplain Corps Chaplain Tithes and Offerings Fund

Chrissy Alexandrea William J. Anderson Albert and Donna Andreano

Anonymous Michael and Sally Bailin John and Bebe Barton Benefitfocus

Tony Bertauski Bernard Best, II Amy Bigelow

Lydia Blanton Matthews Gary and Katharine Bloder Blue Cross & Blue Shield

Katie Blythe Boeing Corporation Richard and Shelia Bovard

Amy Bradshaw

Christian Broucqsault

Mackenzee Burton

Carmax Foundation

Lynn Chiappone

Herman Coefield

Brian and Gwyn Conway** Peter and Marion Cotton Susan Cowan

Walter Crocker and Betty Mueller-Roemer Andrew and Lisa Crow David Daskilewicz

Paige Davis*** Zoe Davis

Carole & John Deerin

Connie Deerin

Mark DeFilippo

Chris Delahunt

Rahul Dembla**

Hanna Denison

Diversey Team

Chris Dorsey

Kim Duckworth

Joe and Neen Durkan

Sandra Estee

Breanna Fennell

Ronald L. Fisher, Jr.

Karen Fonkert

Sh'Kur Francis**

Cecilia A. Franko and Pat Tobin

Julia Frazier

Bridget French in honor of Van and Martina Polidoro

Monte and Eileen Fried

Mary Anne Garvey and AJ Cianflocco

Judy Gingerella

Jeffrey Gleim

Jacqueline Gombach

Antionette Green

H. Brewton and Elizabeth Hagood Andrew and Jill HaLevi

Lynda Hall

Toya Hampton**

Katherine Hanson Madison Hatcher

Gayla Heinrich

Judith A. Hines

Arlene and Barry Hirschfeld Rachael and Joseph Hochberg*** Stephen and Susan Hoffius

Kyleen Huber

Tim and Gail Hughes

Elizabeth Ilderton

Lauretta E. Joyner

Matthew Kasten

Robert Keller

Ted Keller

Julia Kelly

Blondell Kidd

John Klintworth and Jackie McGee

Randy and Kaye Koonce John and Katherine Kotz Bridget Durkan Laird*** Walter and Judith Limehouse Jolie Logan*** Ron and Nancy Luzier

Patricia Malone Cami Marculescu

Lisa Mattiucci Nick Matus

Gary and Sharon McCullough Cindy and Paul McElhinney*** Eric McGuire and Leigh Kemp Stephen and Sonya Merz

Kathryn Milam Susan Miller

Mark Mizell

Jeff Moran

Fred and Linda Morlock

The Moss Family Razieh Murad

Tom Needham

Rebecca Newman Matthew O'Shea

Crystal O'Shields

Alexander and Tina Opoulos

Alex Panos

Matt Pardieck

Terry Peterson and Scott Shanklin-Peterson

Cmdr. David Petri and Dr. Lisa Petri

Adam and Jessie Pomerantz

Michael Yost and Kristen Powell Yost Mike and Tam Psenka

Morgan Ralko

Michael Regert Christy Reinold

Erica Reynolds Jenna Riddell

The Honorable Joseph and Charlotte Riley Beverly Rivers Kathleen Rivers

Charles Robinson Brian Rohan

Julia and Dan Rugg***

Hal S. Currey and Margaret P. Schachte

Sara Schack

Russell and Laura Schaible Cindy Seabrook

Katherine Sieh-Takata Christiaan Simon

Gary and Sally Smith Woodie and Carleen Smith

Mary Jane Snee

Mary Kate Snee

Sarah Stein***

Janis Tabbs

Larry and Judy Tarleton

The Crowley Cares Foundation

The Emanuel and Anna Hope Foundation

Clyde and Carlin Timmons

Tony and Gillian Mark Charitable Fund

True Homes Foundation

Dr. Merle J. Tyroler and Dennis Christensen

David and Sharon Ward

Joe Waring

Sharon Weiss

Andrew and Kate White

Janet Wollney

Laura Wuertz-Barac

Joan Yonke

Thank you to everyone who gave in memory or in honor of someone this year.

MONTHLY DONORS

Anonymous Brandon Arnold Greg Bauer Joann Coonrod

Nancy Dynes Sally Ehrenfried Mollie Fair Janica Francis-Hunter Eli and Ann-Therese Hyman Mary Mester

Karla Moore

Julian and Julie Raney

IN-KIND DONORS

Blue Ion

Carmax 7192 Charleston

Hart Consumer Products, Inc. Hillsong Atlanta

Deborah Kennedy Kennard** Kristie Scott

* = Fund at Coastal Community Foundation

** = WINGS Board, Former, or Lifetime

*** = WINGS Staff

# = deceased

WORDS TO

LIVE

I soar with WINGS . Let me tell you why. I learn lots of skills that help me reach the sky.

I LOVE AND ACCEPT who I am on the inside and know my emotions are nothing to hide.

Life’s full of surprises that make me feel different ways. If I can CONTROL MYSELF , I’ll have much better days.

I understand the CHOICES I MAKE should be what’s best for me to do, and what happens is on me and not any of you.

I understand others are unique. I want to learn more about everyone I meet. I want to STEP INTO THEIR SHOES and see what they are going through.

I am a friend. I SUPPORT AND TRUST . Working together is a must. KIND AND CARING I will be. I listen to you. You listen to me.

I soar with wings. I just told you why. All of these things are WHY I FLY HIGH.