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Winter 2019 Newsletter

Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday

On behalf of the entire Wings for Success family, we want to thank all of you for believing in our organization and supporting our mission. Whether you have donated time, money or clothing to Wings or have spread the word about our services to others, your support has made an impact. We thank you and wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season!

No Clothing Donation Days in January

Please note that Wings will not be holding any Clothing Donation Days in the month of January. Clothing donations will resume at both of our office locations in February.

Winter Fashion Tip: InVEST in This Perfect Accessory

Ask Peggy Conlon of Styled by Peggy and she'll tell you: vests are THE perfect layering piece for any outfit. Not only will they keep you warm during these chilly winter months, they'll keep you looking fashionable. There are so many textures, prints and styles to choose from. Whether it's a puffer or sweater vest, something worn over workout clothes or paired with a dress and boots, vests give your outfit a put-together look. They offer the perfect combination of fashion and function!

Donations Will Be Doubled in December.
Would You Help Us Reach Our Goal?

In a perfect world, nonprofit organizations would not need to seek donations in order to meet their goals. However, there are many in our community dealing with heartbreaking and often dire life situations who desperately need our help. Last month alone, Wings served 57% more women in our Kennett Square location than were served this time last year! We cannot keep up with the demand without the help of those who believe in and support our mission.

The good news: donations to Wings will be doubled in the month of December! A generous donor has committed to match $10,000 donated to Wings in December. Please consider helping us reach our goal of $20,000 by giving this holiday season. Every dollar donated will better position us to empower women in their time of greatest need.

To those who have generously partnered with Wings in 2019 through financial contributions or donations of goods and services, thank you. You have helped us make a difference in the lives of almost 900 women!

DONATE

Our Referral Partnership with Kennett Library

Wings for Success regularly collaborates with various agency partners to inform them about our services while learning more about the resources they provide. This mutually rewarding relationship allows us to reach even more women in the community and in turn, steer our clients toward local resources that could benefit them.

Kennett Library is one of our new referral partners. Recently, library staff toured our new Kennett Square site to learn about our services and to inform our staff about the programs they offer, such as ESL classes through their Adult Literacy Program. Many women who visit our Kennett Square location are eager to learn English and we are grateful to be able to share with them information about ESL classes.

After meeting with Kelly Lynch, our Kennett Square Program Manager, Filomena Elliott, Director of the Adult Literacy Program for Kennett Library, said: “We were very happy to learn all about Wings for Success and to visit your beautiful new showroom. Thank you for the great tour and all of the information given to us that day. We are now better informed and will continue to recommend clients who would benefit from your services. I think we live in a wonderful community, and our community is better served when we work together!"

Wings Workshop Shares Valuable Professional Tips with High School Students

Did you know? In addition to our clothing program, Wings for Success facilitates workshops that address job-related topics. One particular workshop “Wearing the Right Attitude and Outfit" has served as a great resource for adults as well as for high school students preparing to begin a job.

With our new Kennett Square workshop space, we were able to deliver this workshop to 12 high school students from The Garage Community & Youth Center’s Girls Program. One student modeled two career outfits while the group enjoyed discussing how to dress and act professionally in the workplace. The girls learned about interviewing skills while enjoying free raffles and receiving gift bags containing new makeup donated by Thrive Causemetics. We are grateful to partner with agencies that serve young adults and we value our important role in empowering these young women to reach their full potential.

Volunteer Spotlight:
Sister Missionaries

Wings for Success is fortunate to benefit from the volunteer efforts of many dedicated individuals. While most of our volunteers are residents of our immediate community, some volunteers travel considerable distances to help us meet our goals.

Traveling all the way from Utah, a group of compassionate missionaries chose Wings for Success as one of their service projects during their stay in Pennsylvania. Once a week, Sister Critchfield, Sister Egan and Sister Dunlap visit our Kennett Square office to assist with various tasks such as clothing organization, administrative work, and English/Spanish interpretation as needed. They always arrive with smiles on their faces and an eagerness to serve. We are beyond grateful for their support!

Donations Needed for Our December Bra Drive

Your efforts are needed during the month of December to help us collect new bras for our clients. All bras must:

— Be new with tags
— Feature a smooth cup
— Be neutral in color (nude, white, black)

We welcome ALL sizes as well as neutral-colored sports bras.

You can drop off your donation between December 1st and 31st at one of the following nine Wings for Success partner locations:

1. ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center (1130 McDermott Drive, West Chester)
2. Clean Slate Goods (103 West State Street, Kennett Square)*
3. Currie Hair, Skin & Nails (585 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Glen Mills)*
4. Currie Hair, Skin & Nails (1365 Dilworthtown Crossing, West Chester)*
5. Currie Hair, Skin & Nails (121 East State Street, Kennett Square)*
6. Destination Salon & Spa (2934 Conestoga Road, Glenmoore)*
7. Exton Region Chamber of Commerce (310 Exton Square Pkwy, Exton)
8. Louella (335 East King Street, Malvern)*
9. Louella (227 East Lancaster Avenue, Wayne)*

*Gift provided with donation.
Please check the websites of these individual businesses for their hours.

Support Wings. Share a Laugh.

On Thursday, February 13th, the improv comedy group Better than Bacon will host a benefit show for Wings at The Flash, a BYOB theater in downtown Kennett Square.

Plan to attend with a group of friends? Reserve a table for 10 or 12 and get front-row seating. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased on the Wings for Success website or at either of our office locations.

New Yorker Client Finds a Home at Wings: Moana's Story

Wings is proud to share with you the next installment in our client success story series:

While visiting family in Delaware County for the Thanksgiving holiday, New York resident Moana talked about her need for professional clothing to help in her search for a new job. Moana’s sister, Zoe, encouraged her to contact Wings for Success. Having visited Wings in the past, Zoe knew that Moana would not only receive stylish, professional clothing but would also leave feeling confident and prepared for her journey to success.

Moana had never heard about Wings and didn't know that an organization existed that empowers women by providing clothing essentials for employment. Following her sister's advice, she scheduled an appointment, which resulted in an amazing transformation.

“I feel more confident, empowered, and beautiful!" Moana exclaimed. "My volunteer was exceptional and I appreciate you all. I will let you know when I get my new job!”

A Stylish Night with the Fashionistas

Thank you to all who joined us at J. Crew in the King of Prussia Mall for Night with the Fashionistas! The evening showcased J. Crew fashions and featured local celebrity stylists Ashley Myers, Angelo Vellucci, Peggy Conlon and Suzanne Gaffney. From our stylists and our volunteer models to J. Crew and AME Salon & Spa, which provided hairstyling and makeup, we appreciate all those who contributed to the success of this stylish and fun-filled night!

Save the Dates for These Events in 2020!

Be sure to mark these dates on your 2020 calendar:

THURSDAY, MAY 7: Wine with Wings, Kennett Golf & Country Club

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Wings & Wheels (fall fundraiser), The American Helicopter Museum, West Chester

Details will follow as the dates get closer.

A Wings Family Holiday

Our recent Wings holiday party was a great way to bring together volunteers from both of our locations. Everyone brought delicious food to share to our private venue, The Pennsylvania Distilling Company. The evening marked a wonderful way to kickoff the holidays—surrounded by friends.

Seeking iPad/Tablet Donations

In 2020, Wings plans to go paperless with our client intake forms and evaluations. To help us with this transition, we are seeking new or used iPads or tablets (devices must be able to connect to a wireless network). If you have an iPad or tablet to donate or would be willing to purchase a new one, please email jill@wingsforsuccess.org. All donations are tax-deductible at full cost. Thank you for helping us go green!

Highlights From Wing and Wheels,
Our Newest Fall Fundraiser

On the beautiful fall evening of Friday, October 11, Wings celebrated our first annual Wings and Wheels fundraiser. Held at Vanguard ID Systems and the American Helicopter Museum in West Chester, the event was attended by nearly 200 generous supporters who joined us for an exciting evening of luxury cars, a silent auction, and live music!

The evening began with our VIP Event at Vanguard ID Systems, where guests had an opportunity to test drive or ride along in high-performance cars including Porsches, Maseratis, a McLaren and a Lamborghini. Guests also enjoyed appetizers, spirits by Manatawny Distilling Company and entertainment by DJ Moore Music.

Our main event, held at The American Helicopter Museum, featured the classic rock stylings of “The Blue Sky Band,” beer courtesy of Victory Brewing Company and delicious food from The Meat House Chadds Ford. Guests continued to enjoy test drives and a car corral, all while bidding on an enticing array of silent auction items.

During the event, Wings Executive Director, Jill Laufenberg, shared the importance of how community support benefits the women we serve and allows us to expand our services. Special guest, Damaris Pagan, from the Maternal and Child Health Consortium, also shared her experience as both a client of Wings and as a local partner who refers women in need of our services. It was a successful, fun evening and we are grateful to all who supported Wings by volunteering, making donations, providing sponsorships, and attending as guests!

Top 3 Ways to Support Wings

Wings for Success is able to assist women in need thanks to people like you who care about our mission and want to make a difference. Looking to better the lives of women and their families? Below are the top 3 ways you can support Wings:

Share our story

Share our story with your friends and help us raise awareness of Wings in the community. Click on the button below for more easy and inexpensive ways to support our mission.

GET INVOLVED

Donate needed items

We depend on the generosity of the community to help keep our closets full and welcome donations that meet our current clothing needs.

CURRENT NEEDS

Donate funds

Make your tax-deductible donation to Wings today. Wings uses all monetary donations very cost-effectively. A modest donation can go a long way toward outfitting a woman with confidence!

LEARN MORE

Client Success Quote

“A fabulous experience! I left feeling like a new person.”