WINGS Program
Holistic services and housing for domestic violence survivors.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | N/A | Grant | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
WINGS Program, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a pathway to independence for individuals and families affected by domestic violence. Founded in 1985 by a group of volunteers from St. Marcelline Church in Schaumburg, including Louis Tosto, Ed Geiss, Edith Hovius, and Ed Boggio, the organization was initially established to address the growing issue of homelessness in Chicago's northwest suburbs, which they found was often linked to domestic violence.
The organization offers a comprehensive range of services that address the immediate and long-term needs of survivors. Core to its mission is the provision of safe housing, which includes emergency shelters and transitional housing options, having provided over 1,000,000 nights of shelter as of 2021. WINGS operates two main Safe Houses, one in the northwest suburbs and another, WINGS Metro, on Chicago's southwest side, which opened in 2016. These facilities are notable for being among the only ones in Illinois that house male and transgender victims of domestic violence.
Beyond housing, WINGS provides integrated support services through a trauma-informed care model. This includes individual and group counseling, legal assistance, life skills support, and career services to help clients achieve self-sufficiency. Specific programs like the Advocating for Latinas Achieving Self-Sufficiency (ALAS) and the Survivor Lifeline Mentoring program offer tailored support. The organization also runs programs for children, offering services such as therapy and academic tutoring. Revenue is generated through fundraising events, donations, and three resale shops that provide goods to clients and sell excess inventory to the public.
Rebecca Darr, who joined in 1999 and became CEO in 2014, has overseen a significant expansion of the agency. Under her leadership, the organization's budget has grown substantially, and it has become the largest domestic violence service provider in Illinois.
Keywords: domestic violence services, survivor housing, emergency shelter, transitional housing, trauma-informed care, domestic abuse advocacy, family counseling, survivor support, legal aid for survivors, financial literacy for survivors, children's services, Chicago non-profit, life skills training, self-sufficiency programs, violence prevention, survivor mentoring, community-based services, homeless services, women's empowerment, victim assistance