"I soar with WINGS, let me tell you why."

Want to know what inspired Wings for Kids? Hear from our founder as she shares how WINGS came to be - and why we're still soaring.

Mission, Vision, Goals

Our mission is to equip kids with the skills they need to succeed in school, stay in school, and thrive in life.

THE NEED

Growing up today demands strong, resilient, creative kids who can manage their emotions, communicate with others, and collaborate well. Every child has this potential—but not every child has the same opportunity. We envision a world where there is equity in education, opportunity, and emotional well-being for all children regardless of socioeconomic status so all kids can live joyfully, powerfully, and responsibly. 


The individuals, families, and children we serve are full of creativity, perseverance, cultural wealth, and strong social bonds. These qualities exist in every person and community — yet unjust policies and institutions create unnecessary barriers that prevent them from fully flourishing. By addressing those systemic gaps, we can help remove the obstacles standing in the way of potential that is already there.

POTENTIAL AND OPPORTUNITY

Since 1996, Wings for Kids has been wrapping elementary children in kindness, compassion, friendship, and community — backed by rigorous evidence and powered by love. Through meaningful relationships with caring mentors, kids develop the social-emotional skills that shape how they relate to others, respond to challenges, and see themselves. Academic success follows — but more importantly, so does belief in what's possible. Every child carries potential. When that potential meets real opportunity, kids begin to live joyfully, powerfully, and responsibly — becoming the fullest version of themselves. Learn More >

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Research shows that skills like self-management, resilience, and relationship-building are essential for academic success, career readiness, and positive social contribution—and early, intentional practice can transform a child's trajectory. Learn More >

Our long-term vision is a world where there is equity in academics, opportunity, and emotional well-being for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status.

In the short term our focus is to expand our services to reach substantially more children, both in-school and after school and ensure that the programs we deliver are of the highest quality and create measurable outcomes.

WHAT WE DO

  • Operate direct-service afterschool programs in South Carolina and Georgia. Learn More >
  • Empower educators through workshops and trainings focused on social emotional learning best practices. Learn More > 
  • Provide products and digital resources to incorporate Words to Live By in any environment. Learn More >

Our goal is to address the growing demand for social emotional learning while maintaining the fidelity and impact of our program.

Just like we teach our kids to soar, we also are reaching for the sky! We know that this kind of growth will best happen in partnership and collaboration with others. We are working to build a network of partner organizations that share our vision and believe in the powerful impact of social emotional learning. These partners are schools and existing afterschool providers with the capacity to implement programs with a high degree of fidelity. The foundation of any successful social emotional learning initiative is the skill and behaviors of the adults. By equipping others with the skills and practices to teach social emotional skills, we move closer to our vision of reaching as many children as possible with high-quality social emotional learning experiences.

school children lined up in front of brick wall

The History of WINGS

What began as a girls summer camp developed into an effective, high-impact, research-driven afterschool program for elementary students. Now in our 27th year of operation, we have served more than 15,000 kids.