Wings of Hope (charity)

Last updated
Wings of Hope
Founded1963
Type Nonprofit organization
FocusMedical air transportation
Headquarters St. Louis, Missouri
Area served
U.S., Americas, Asia, Africa
Website wingsofhope.ngo

Wings of Hope is a nonprofit organization that partners with organizations in ten countries outside of the U.S. to provide medical evacuation flights and access to health care for remote communities. Wings of Hope also provides free medical air transportation to people within a 900-mile radius of its St. Louis headquarters. Wings of Hope has been twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize [1] [2] and holds a 4-star (the highest) rating on Charity Navigator. In 2019, Wings of Hope directly served nearly 73,000 people worldwide.

Contents

History

Wings of Hope was founded by four businessmen from St. Louis, Missouri: William Edwards, Joseph Fabick (Fabick Tractor Company), Paul Rodgers (V.P., Ozark Air Lines), and George Haddaway. The four had heard of a young woman, Sister Michael Therese Ryan, who was the pilot of a small, fabric-covered Piper PA-18 Super Cub in the Turkana region of Kenya. The story of Sister Ryan using aircraft to bring relief to impoverished famine victims in a vast, remote region of Kenya inspired the men to raise money for a stronger, all-metal aircraft to better aid the effort.

After the founders raised the necessary capital for a new Cessna U206, legendary aviator Max Conrad piloted the plane across the Atlantic from St. Louis to Nairobi. The story was well-publicized[ citation needed ] and brought about a large response from the international community – from people seeking assistance and needing aircraft, to those who wanted to help by offering their time, money and services. From this initial effort of four men on a mission to help those in need, Wings of Hope has grown into a global aviation nonprofit working in 48 countries since its birth in 1963. [3]

Programs

Wings of Hope partners with local organizations in ten countries outside of the U.S., using aviation to help them deliver health care resources to isolated communities. As of 2021, Wings of Hope operated in Belize, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Medical Relief and Air Transport Program

Through its Medical Relief and Air Transport Program, Wings of Hope provides free medical flights within a 900-mile radius of its St. Louis-area headquarters. In a typical year, the organization flies more than 200 patients and their caregivers to medical care.

Soar into STEM

Wings of Hope's Soar into STEM program provides middle and high school students project-based learning connections to STEM curriculum, as well as education on Wings of Hope's activities.

Honorary Council

[4]

Awards and accolades

[15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War</span> Anti–nuclear power organization

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) is a non-partisan federation of national medical groups in 63 countries, representing doctors, medical students, other health workers, and concerned people who share the goal of creating a more peaceful and secure world free from the threat of nuclear annihilation. The organization's headquarters is in Malden, Massachusetts. IPPNW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Cancer Society</span> Nonprofit organization

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than 250 Regional offices throughout the United States. Its global headquarters is located in the American Cancer Society Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The ACS publishes the journals Cancer, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians and Cancer Cytopathology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Wagstaff</span> American aviator

Patty Wagstaff is an American aviator and U.S. national aerobatic champion.

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a US-based not-for-profit human rights NGO that uses medicine and science to document and advocate against mass atrocities and severe human rights violations around the world. PHR headquarters are in New York City, with offices in Boston, Washington, D.C., as well as Nairobi. It was established in 1986 to use the unique skills and credibility of health professionals to advocate for persecuted health workers, prevent torture, document mass atrocities, and hold those who violate human rights accountable.

Operation Smile is a nonprofit medical service organization founded in 1982 by William P. Magee Jr. and his wife Kathleen (Kathy) S. Magee. It is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington University School of Medicine</span> Medical school in St. Louis, Missouri, US

Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) is the medical school of Washington University in St. Louis, and located in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1891, the School of Medicine shares a campus with Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children's Hospital, and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center. It has consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the United States in terms of the number and amount of research grants/funding awarded by the National Institutes of Health, in addition to other measures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charity Navigator</span> Charity assessment organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the U.S.

Charity Navigator is a charity assessment organization that evaluates hundreds of thousands of charitable organizations based in the United States, operating as a free 501(c)(3) organization. It provides insights into a nonprofit's financial stability, adherence to best practices for both accountability and transparency, and results reporting. It is the largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities in the United States. It does not accept any advertising or donations from the organizations it evaluates.

Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF) is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2004 by Scott Neeson to help children in Steung Meanchey, one of the poorest areas in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh. Initially established to support 45 children in need, CCF now educates over 2,000 children. In addition, it serves 12,000 people in the communities where it works through a range of community outreach, healthcare, childcare and vocational training programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating</span> Military aviation skill standards

U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in "regular and frequent flight", either aerially or in space, in performance of their duties. USAF aeronautical badges, commonly referred to as "wings" from their shape and their historical legacy, are awarded by the Air Force in recognition of degrees of achievement and experience. Officers earning these badges and maintaining their requirements are classified as rated officers and receive additional pay and allowances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brain & Behavior Research Foundation</span> US non-profit organization

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that funds mental health research. It was originally called the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia & Depression, or NARSAD. It received its nonprofit ruling in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fistula Foundation</span> American maternal health organization

Fistula Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on treatment of obstetric fistula, funding more repair surgeries than any other organization, public or private. As of September 2022, they support hospitals and doctors in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia. The foundation is dedicated to treating obstetric fistula by covering the full cost of fistula repair surgery for poor women who would otherwise not be able to access treatment. They also provide fistula surgeon training, equipment and facility upgrades that make fistula treatment as safe as possible, post-surgery counseling and support for healed patients. The foundation has been recognized by several organizations for its transparency, effectiveness and efficiency, earning a top "A" rating from CharityWatch and a four star rating from Charity Navigator for 16 years in a row, placing it in the top 1% of charities reviewed on the site. In 2023, the foundation received a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, announced alongside a new five-year strategic plan that will advance the foundation's In It to End It vision. The foundation has also been selected as one of 22 charities recommended by Princeton Professor Peter Singer's organization, The Life You Can Save. The organization's cost-effectiveness was also noted by GiveWell in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innovations for Poverty Action</span>

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is an American non-profit research and policy organization founded in 2002 by economist Dean Karlan. Since its foundation, IPA has worked with over 400 leading academics to conduct over 900 evaluations in 52 countries. The organization also manages the Poverty Probability Index.

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is an American not-for-profit cancer research organization focused on "discovering the talent to discover the cure". The organization states that its goals are to: "identify the best and brightest early career scientists in cancer research, accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into new diagnostic tools and treatments, and to enable risk-taking on bold new ideas".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobel Peace Prize</span> One of five Nobel Prizes established by Alfred Nobel

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. Since March 1901, it has been awarded annually to people who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The Oxford Dictionary of Contemporary History describes it as "the most prestigious prize in the world."

BrightFocus Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Clarksburg, Maryland. BrightFocus funds research in an effort to discover cures for Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma, and provides information and free English and Spanish resources to increase awareness about these diseases. Through its research programs — Alzheimer’s Disease Research, National Glaucoma Research, and Macular Degeneration Research — the Foundation has awarded nearly $290 million in research funding. BrightFocus provides free public education and free printed brochures and publications on brain and eye diseases in English and Spanish, including Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. BrightFocus has active research grants in 17 countries and at 154 institutions. BrightFocus Foundation offers free monthly low-vision audio podcast programs with medical experts on Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration and a free expert Alzheimer's video series called "Zoom in On Alzheimer's and Dementia" with medical doctors.

Boot Campaign is a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization with offices in Dallas, Texas. Boot Campaign is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, continues a years-long Platinum rating from Candid, and has been named one of the nation's Great Nonprofits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Nobel Peace Prize</span> Award

The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad "for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict," according to the Norwegian Nobel Committee announcement on 5 October 2018 in Oslo, Norway. "Both laureates have made a crucial contribution to focusing attention on, and combating, such war crimes," according to the award citation. After reading the citation, Committee Chair Berit Reiss-Andersen told reporters that the impact of this year's award is to highlight sexual abuse with the goal that every level of governance take responsibility to end such crimes and impunities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philanthropy of Michael Jackson</span>

Entertainer Michael Jackson left a lasting legacy as a prolific philanthropist and humanitarian. Throughout Jackson's public life, he has dedicated himself to various humanitarian causes, particularly in areas regarding poverty, disease, welfare, and disadvantaged youth. Jackson's early charitable work has been described by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as having "paved the way for the current surge in celebrity philanthropy", and by the Los Angeles Times as having "set the standard for generosity for other entertainers". By some estimates, he donated over $500 million to charity over the course of his life, at one time being recognized in Guinness World Records for the breadth of his philanthropic work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adela Riek Scharr</span> American aviator

Adela "Del" Riek Scharr was an American aviator. Scharr was the first woman in St. Louis to earn her commercial flight license and worked as a flight instructor at Lambert Field. Scharr was recruited in 1942 to join the Women's Axillary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) and later flew planes as a WASP. Scharr was also the first woman to fly a P-39 Bell Aircobra. After World War II, Scharr was commissioned as a major in the Air Force and also worked as a teacher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Coleman</span>

Charles Thomas Coleman a.k.a. Chuck Coleman is an American aviator, aerospace engineer, airshow and test pilot. He has worked as a design and performance engineer for several aircraft corporations such as McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, Bede Jet Corporation and Scaled Composites. Coleman is a member of the Society of Test Pilots SETP as an Associate Fellow, and currently serves on the board of directors for the Mojave Air and Space Port As a commercial, test, and instructor pilot, he’s logged more than 10,800 hours of flight time.

References

  1. "Nobel Prize Nomination For St. Louis' Wings Of Hope" Huffington Post. Retrieved Jan 27, 2014.
  2. "Wings Of Hope St. Louis Charity Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize" (Video). Fox 2 News. Retrieved Jan 27, 2014.
  3. "History". Wings of Hope. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  4. "Honorary Council". Wings of Hope. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  5. "Saint Francis Community Services to Host Danforth Book Signing Event" Salina Post. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  6. "Elizabeth "Liddy" Dole, U.S. Senator, U.S. Secretary of Labor and Transportation". Geni. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  7. Russell, Lisa (18 November 2016). "NASCAR driver Carl Edwards joins Wings of Hope Honorary Council". West Newsmagazine. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  8. "Harrison Ford to Narrate Aviation Documentary ‘Living in the Age of Airplanes’" The Wrap. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  9. "Record breaking pilot Barrington Irving Joins Wings of Hope Honorary Council" The St. Louis American. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  10. Radenmacher, Diane (2014). Famous Firsts of St. Louis. Mound City Publishing. p. 109. ISBN   978-0-578-134-14-7.
  11. "Pilot praises priest's airborne medical ministry in" The Catholic News and Herald. Retrieved September 24, 2000.
  12. "Kurt Russell". Pretty Famous. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  13. "Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford - Stars and Stripes Park - OKC, Oklahoma". Waymarking. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  14. "Patty Wagstaff Website". Patty Wagstaff. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  15. "Recognition". Wings of Hope. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  16. "St. Louis-Based Charity Up For Nobel Peace Prize" CBS News, St. Louis - KMOV. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  17. "Adela Riek Scharr Medallion Winners". St. Louis Public Library. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  18. "Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients". The Wings Club. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  19. "Public Benefit Flying Awardees" (PDF). National Aeronautic Association. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  20. "Wings of Hope, Jaros Technologies & LaserBand Honored With Awards at Growing Global 2005" PRLeap. Retrieved September 28, 2005.
  21. "Delia Greer; Nursing career on land, in the air spans five decades" St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved October 8, 2006.
  22. "CFO of the Year winners named" St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  23. "FOCUS St. Louis' 14th Annual What's Right With the Region!". Blacktie Missouri. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  24. "99 News Awards 2012" (PDF). International Ninety-Nines. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  25. "Wings of Hope". Guidestar. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  26. "Charity Awards Finalist - Wings of Hope" Ladue News. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  27. "Wings of Hope". Charity Navigator. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  28. "MTBC Donates an Airplane to Wings of Hope" (Press release). Business Wire. Retrieved August 2, 2016.