Giving Report September 2022

Working with Change

Wings of Hope is excited for the opportunity to support our mission anew after two years of significant challenges. Adding to the disruption brought about by COVID-19, there also were changes due to the closures of many group homes throughout the area.

Yet you continued to entrust us with your ongoing generosity, and now we eagerly welcome a renewed chance to make a difference in the lives of at-risk young adults.

The Faine House, which Wings of Hope has supported for many years, reopened in March after a temporary closure. Your donations enabled us to provide funds that helped not only with much-needed upgrades to the transitional home itself but also with necessities aimed at helping the young residents continue on their path to independent living.

See below for specific ways your donations helped!

 

Transportation is a Key Challenge

Dametrious works hard balancing school and work

Access to reliable, reasonable and affordable transportation is challenging for young people who have aged out of foster care.

Dametrious, a transitional home resident, is furthering his education at a Central Florida community college and works at a nursing home. Like his fellow residents, he doesn’t have his own vehicle, and getting to and from school and work is a challenge.

This semester, a course he needs to take is offered at only one of the college’s campus locations, the one farthest from where he lives. While public transportation is the most budget-friendly option, the journey requires multiple bus transfers and takes nearly 3 hours one way — and that’s when the buses are running on time. A ride-share trip can get him there in a fraction of that time, but the fares vary widely based on the time of day, driver availability, traffic, and other factors. Fuel surcharges also have affected recent pricing.

Your ongoing support of the Wings of Hope Foundation and our mission never ceases to amaze us. We are grateful to be able to help these at-risk young people as a result of your generosity.

Here’s specifically how funds were used in the 3rd quarter 2022:

• Transportation
• Laptops, monitors and electronic accessories
• New tables & chairs in the classroom
• Work appropriate clothing and haircuts
• Hygiene products and laundry soap
• Costco membership and ongoing groceries
• Training, recreational activities, miscellaneous educational needs