It’s that time of year again! Time to print new name tags, stock the activity bins, and welcome the butterflies that come with a fresh start. At WINGS, we know each school year comes with a little bit of chaos, a lot of fun, and an endless number of opportunities to create joyful memories that will last long after their days at WINGS have ended.

Of course, none of this happens without intentional preparation and community support. As we gear up for our 29th year of WINGS, we're reminded that quality afterschool programming takes more than good intentions—it takes resources, dedicated staff, and partners who believe in this work as much as we do. But more on that in a bit.

These spaces are more than classrooms and cafeterias. They’re where students will show up with stories to tell, energy to burn, and needs—both spoken and quiet—that deserve attention. They’re where staff members will notice the quiet child who always cleans up without being asked, or where a student who once struggled to say how they feel will finally be able to name their emotions with pride.

Because that’s what we do. We teach social-emotional learning—yes, with structure, intention, and evidence-based practices. But also with snack time conversations, a helping hand with homework, powerful words, and hard-won lessons about friendship, feelings, and responsibility.

We help kids learn how to be empathetic, kind, and cultivate the character strengths that make us truly human.

Of course, every small victory in afterschool takes a great deal of preparation. Behind the scenes, our teams are getting ready— setting up rooms, organizing supplies, and preparing the daily rituals and routines that create structure and safety. We’re training new staff who will show up every day ready to model kindness, patience, and curiosity. We’re stocking enrichment bins with paint, paper, and possibilities.

And we need help.

There’s no getting around it—running high-quality afterschool programs takes resources.

To bring our work to life across all ten sites, we’re raising funds to support:

• Staff uniforms
• Staff training and supplies
• Staff salaries
• Snacks and meals for kids
• Enrichment and activity supplies
• Bus transportation
• Technology systems that keep us connected and on track
  
  

If you believe, like we do, that kids deserve safe spaces filled with compassionate adults and meaningful connection after school, we’d love your support. Whether it’s a donation, gifts-in-kind, volunteering at a program, or simply telling someone about WINGS, it matters more than you know.

Each year comes with its share of challenges—homework meltdowns, friendship drama, and kids who are running on fumes by pickup time. But we’re looking forward to all the moments, big and small—when a student tries something new, takes a breath instead of reacting, or reaches out to make a new friend.

This year, we’ll welcome familiar faces back to programs and greet new students who will soon feel like a member of our flock. We’ll celebrate victories that may not show up on a report card but will shape a child’s life all the same.

Because that’s what afterschool is. Not extra but essential.

And we’re honored—truly honored—to do this work again this year.

Click here to donate or check out our wish list on Amazon! We’re so grateful to be in this together.