Little Wings Foundation - Your Questions Answered

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Little Wings: Women Helping Women

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In April of 2009 Little Wings offered a night of education for single and teen mothers from the East Side House community in the Bronx. The mothers in attendance were given the opportunity to ask questions of pediatrician, Dr. Karen Kennedy, and psychologists, Dr. Emily Israel and her colleague. Little Wings also called on some of our superstar volunteers to join us in the Bronx so that we could offer childcare while the moms had uninterrupted access to these incredible doctors. At the end of the evening the mothers said they were most grateful for the information they were given on healthy eating, attention deficit disorder, sleep training and discipline.

The event highlighted just how easy it is to give back without spending a dollar. The doctors who volunteered that night gave nothing but their time and insights, and the Little Wings "babysitters" got to spend a fun night with the adorable children served by ESHS. We each have talents and insights to share – sometimes we just need to figure out the audience in need.

Who we helped?

East Side House is a community resource in the South Bronx. ESHS believe education is the key that enables all people to create economic and civic opportunities for themselves, their families and their community. Their focus is on critical developmental periods - - early childhood and adolescence - - and critical junctures - - points at which people are determined to become economically independent. They enrich, supplement and enhance the public school system and place college within reach of motivated students. They also provide services to families in order that other family members may pursue their educational goals, and they provide technology and career readiness training to enable students to improve their economic status and lead more fulfilling lives.


Little Wings Gives: Baby Gear

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In December of 2009 Little Wings teamed up with Episcopal Social Services (ESS) to create holiday care packages for families in need. We asked volunteers of all ages to bring diapers, wipes, onesies, and hats/mittens for children age newborn to 3 years old. Care packages were given to ESS families living in the Bronx who are involved with the Early Head Start program at ESS.

Who we helped?

The mission of Episcopal Social Services is to transform the lives and communities of New Yorkers in need. ESS currently serves some 5,000 of New York City's most vulnerable residents annually through a broad range of programs in human services, including foster care and adoption, family preservation, early childhood education, after-school programs, group homes for developmentally disabled adults, and community re-integration of the formerly-incarcerated. For over 175 years ESS has pursued that mission in all boroughs of New York City, with a current emphasis on the Bronx and Manhattan, and a growing presence in Brooklyn.


Little Wings Gives: Food & Clothing

In December of 2010 Little Wings hosted our second annual "Little Wings Gives" event. It was a huge success with nearly 300 people stopping by the Greenwich Academy gymnasium to donate canned food and gently used clothing. We were proud to have collected an entire van full of materials for Neighbor to Neighbor, especially during this holiday season when so many people around the world are hurting and in need.

Once again we saw many young faces at our event. We love when children volunteer and hold true to our belief that if you capture a child's attention at a young age they are more likely to be lifelong advocates of volunteer work and giving back. The kids made ornaments this year and they were all handed out at Neighbor to Neighbor the week prior to Christmas. Just one more way we were able to bring smiles to peoples faces this holiday season!

Who we helped?

For over 35 years, Neighbor to Neighbor has been a place where neighbors come together to help each other. From providing clothing to those in the greater Greenwich area, to providing weekly food to those in Greenwich, families have come to count on them in their time of need. Neighbor's mission is to provide these basic living essentials in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. They accomplish this by utilizing the "choice" method to distribute food and clothing, by providing nutritious items such as fresh produce and lowfat milk and by using caring volunteers to assist as needed. Last year, a record year, nearly 300,000 meals were provided to those in need. In addition, more than 16,000 bags of clothing were given out.


Little Wings Gives: Books

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In May of 2011 Little Wings hosted our first book drive. We gathered roughly 4000 books for both children and adults, sending 150 large boxes of books to a small town called Jonestown in the  Mississippi Delta. The books for children were sent to the Jonestown Family Center where the center's founder, Sister Theresa Shields, handed them out to the children she serves in her early childhood, pre-school, and elementary programs. The rest of the books were donated to the town and used to fill their brand new library. Prior to our shipment the town of 1500 didn't have a library. Our books were used to stock the shelves, providing those living in this community with their first opportunity to borrow books without having to drive many miles to the nearest library.

Who we helped?

In Jonestown, Mississippi over fifty percent of families live below the poverty line. Downtown Jonestown lacks critical educational resources and opportunities. The Jonestown Family Center helps provide support for the community by offering early childhood education and after school and summer programs for children in addition to working with the entire community to promote health, safety and general quality of life in Jonestown. The Jonestown Family Center has led and supported efforts to build a gym in the community and to keep the well-worn basketball court safely paved so children can have a place to play. One of their most recent projects has been to help build a library. This facility would be an incredible educational tool for the community, providing new resources for students and adults.

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