My Nonprofit Reviews

I am 78 years old and have served young people and families in youth service agencies for 55 years. Originally from New York where I co- founded The Door - A Center of Alternatives, a multi services center in Manhattan in1972, I have lived and worked in New Mexico for 30 years and have continued my calling with the NM Children, Youth and Families Department for 16 years and as a volunteer and Board Chair with Wings for LIFE, International for over a decade.

I this short space, I wish to add to the stories and testimony of many others by saying that since March 2020, Wings has truly transformed the limitations placed on our reality by the crisis of the Pandemic. Wings has continued its 26 years of compassionate service through the dedication of the many staff, interns, and volunteers who have consistently and impeccably continued to weather the storm, make unbelievable sacrifices and remain mindfully present faithfully focused on service regardless of the distractions and collective trauma we have all been experiencing. I will share just a few of the highlights that stand out for me over the past two years.
Despite our inability to hold many of our live in person activities due to COVID, our staff, volunteers and college interns have avidly and enthusiastically learned to utilize the wizardry of virtual technology and Wings has continued to hold weekly staff meetings using Zoom capability combined with carefully designed Covid- safe in-person activities to continue to evolve its innovative program development such as the new "Wings WORKS" arts and entrepreneurial business training program to serve returning citizens and homeless adults. In addition, Wings has implemented series of videos with online facilitators to provide state of the art life skills and self care to at risk families many of whom have been traumatized and economically and socially harmed by the realities of the past year, and have become more resilient as a result of Wings’ services. Included here had been the virtual involvement of inmates at several New Mexico prisons who are soon to be “ returning citizens “ We’ve, for example, continued to provide expertly refurbished bicycles to children, school supplies and holiday gifts for exchanging with family members and have continued to help strengthen many of our social service partners through our monthly returning citizens Collaborative meetings. I also want to express my wonder that we are also helping a school in Liberia, Africa to serve their children through their replication of many aspects of our New Mexico programs.

Finally, I am deeply grateful to our ED Ann Edenfield- Sweet who has tirelessly and selflessly nurtured our Board members who have brought their compassion, leadership, wisdom, and connections to keep Wings alive, thriving, growing, and effective during these most challenging times. And, I am grateful to our funding organizations, and the individual donors who have made this year our most productive to date. I may retire from my full time job with the State, but that will mean I’ll have more energy and time to remain a joyful part of the Wings family. There’s really nothing like Wings for LIFE, which is now truly “international.”!!