An Open Letter from New CEO Julia Rugg

Dear WINGS Friends and Family,

I am honored and privileged to be the next CEO of Wings for Kids!

My journey at WINGS started 13 years ago in the basement of a church. I was interviewed by the WINGS team and our legendary Hayes Mizell, and was immediately hooked into the WINGS flock as the team and Hayes shared their passion for the kids and families, the staff, one another, and the drive to seek impact. I knew then, WINGS was the place for me. It’s been a privilege to serve in multiple capacities at WINGS - Chief Program Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Growth Officer, and it is now the honor of a lifetime to serve as Chief Executive Officer.

I have a tremendous legacy of 27 years before me and know that I follow in the footsteps of two fierce women - Ginny Deerin and Bridget Laird. I am grateful and inspired by their innovation and tenacity to make Wings for Kids an impactful and evidence-based phenom in the space of youth development and social and emotional learning.

While we’ve grown from four programs in Charleston to nine programs across South Carolina and Atlanta, GA, and partnerships across the country, we have not changed who we are, the work we are committed to achieve, and how we get there.

Wings for Kids will forever remain a laser-focused high quality nonprofit that strives to move kids up and forward. We provide opportunity, access, and knowledge for our most vulnerable students in the southeast, through passionate and dedicated staff, an evidence-based social emotional approach, and a commitment to continuous improvement and evaluation.

As I take on this new role today I reflect on all that we have accomplished, but also deliberate on all that has yet to come. I believe we’ve only achieved a fraction of the impact we will have moving forward.

I am emboldened to carve out a new way forward in light of where the world is today. Our mission has been to equip kids with the skills to succeed in school, stay in school, and thrive in life. This mission is at the core of what we do and is as important now as it was 27 years ago.

However, we need to understand that staying in school, succeeding in school, and thriving in life means something different today. It’s not just learning to get a good test grade, it’s learning to apply that knowledge. It’s not just staying in school, it’s charting a pathway to a future while in school. And it’s not just thriving in life for your own happiness and success, it’s about you and everyone around you thriving together - because connectedness and belonging are what brings happiness and success.

We reach this new future with a deeper commitment to serve more students through our direct service afterschool programs in South Carolina and Georgia, and through our partnerships nationwide. By building the foundational skills and mindset needed for strong academic engagement, school attendance, and positive mental and physical health, WINGS prepares children to charge forward in their journey with confidence and skills. I don’t underestimate the power of what kids can learn, absorb, and how they can grow - if we shape it in the right way for them.

This is the power of bringing together opportunity, access, and knowledge.

With fortitude and a power-backed team, I hope you’ll continue to stand alongside me and WINGS as we begin our journey to reach 8 million kids by 2035!

In good faith,

Julia