News & Campaigns

Wings of Hope’s incredible supporters again came through in a big way for our “Double the Difference” campaign, which ran from August through December 2016. Matching gifts on top of the $57,389.50 that came in from 173 donors resulted in an astonishing $114,779 raised to help area at-risk young people. When Wings of Hope changed direction this year from holding annual Galas to exploring other ways to continue to support at-risk young people, we had no idea what the future would hold. Our loyal supporters once again proved a bright future not only for Wings of Hope but also for many young people eager for the chance at a better life. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for continuing to partner with us!

Thank you for joining us for our inaugural Wings Facebook Gala Weekend! We loved seeing your bright faces and the ways you celebrated, and we appreciated you taking the time to remember the young people who deserve a chance at a better life. Congratulations to Cheryl and George Distler of Lake Mary, whose photo entry showing them celebrating their 25th ann iversary on the Disney Dream tallied the most likes. Cheryl is the program manager at The Faine House, a transitional home for aging-out teens in Orlando, and she and George also support Wings of Hope personally. The Distlers generously turned their prize — a $100 Amazon gift card — back to Wings of Hope so more young people could be helped. Thank you, Cheryl and George! To see all of the photos posted during our celebration, go to our Facebook page, @wingsofhopefoundation, and see the postings from Sept. 30

Download Wings of Hope Newsletter 2015 Like many of the children Wings of Hope helps, Brooklyn passed through many systems and foster homes. Despite her unfortunate personal life, Brooklyn cares deeply for others and wants to help others after graduating from high school. She has been accepted into a local college’s social work program and is determined to make her career dreams come true. Alex dropped out of high school at age 16 because he was behind academically and struggled to make friends each time he changed schools. At age 19, he earned his GED, got a part-time job as a security officer, found a roommate and moved into his first apartment. As he transitions into independence, he has set his sights on pursuing further academic goals. Lora and her two younger siblings came into care for abuse and neglect 3 years ago. Lora’s brother and sister were placed with

Download Wings of Hope Newsletter 2014 Anne, a 21-year-old in Osceola County’s Independent Living Program and mother to a 1-year-old son, struggled to adjust to life in the foster care system after being removed from her mother’s care because of neglect and abuse. When she “aged out” of foster care at age 18, she made some bad choices before realizing that she needed to take charge of her life. Because she enjoys helping and taking care of others, Anne enrolled in Valencia College’s nursing A.S. to B.S. articulated degree program. Although she was eager to volunteer in her field to get more experience and better job prospects upon graduation, she couldn’t commit to a position because of the bus system’s limited schedule and multiple transfers. Anne’s independent living counselors commended her for her focus and motivation to earn her nursing degree and provide a better life for her son. To

Download Wings of Hope Newsletter 2013 Wings of Hope was recognized as the 2012 “Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation” by the Central Florida chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In addition, LYNX chose Wings of Hope to be among the eight local charities featured on its 2013-2014 Public Service Bus.