PROJECTS, EVENTS, & RESOURCES
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North Texas Pantry Project
November 1, 2020
North Texas Wingspan, National Wingspan
Wingspan Solutions is proud to fight food insecurity alongside Aunt Bette's Community Pantry and North Texas Food Bank, two staples of a region where poverty is above 40%. Our volunteer drivers are ferrying goods from their main warehouses to local community distribution centers and into high-risk communities.
Our logistical support reduces the density at each individual site, keeping the staff and the community safe. Please stay tuned for additional information!
Overseas Orphans Penpal Project
October 8, 2020
Central Texas Wingspan, National Wingspan
Wingspan Solutions, in its first global health project, is connecting over 50 American teens with orphans and others in need in Sierra Leone to provide mental health resources and help repair communities ravaged by Ebola.
Nearly 100 letters have already been delivered to children at the shelter The Needy Today. Originally caring for the orphans of a bloody civil war, they now also provide for those affected by Ebola, those with disabilities, and women facing violence including genital mutilation.
If you would like to brighten an orphan's day or learn more, please visit: bit.ly/WSPenPal
Health Equity Case Competition
August 7-9, 2020
National Wingspan
Wingspan Solutions partnered with West Oakland Health Council and Community Health Care Network to address health inequity. We raised over $500 for their cause, generated countless change-making ideas, and helped expose communities across America to their message.
Over the course of 48 hours, competitors from across the country explored the extent of health inequity in America and worked on a particular topic of their choosing. Competitors proposed long-term policy solutions, pitched community nonprofits, and identified opportunities for social impact businesses.
The winning team, from Texas, proposed a 3-phase public policy plan that included both immediate-relief efforts, like additional funding to community clinics and addiction programs, as well as long-term structural solutions. Among these structural solutions were significant investments into education, one of the biggest structural determinants of health, and into criminal justice reform.
The winning team exemplified the holistic, all-fronts approach that Wingspan seeks to bring to the fight for health equity.
Essay Competition - Homeless Healthcare
June 23, 2020
Utah Wingspan
Utah Wingspan's Op-Ed Essay Competition generated ideas and fundraised over $800 for The Road Home, a group helping Utah's homeless with shelter, housing, and employment opportunities.
The competition solicited ideas from middle and high school students across Utah on how shelters could adapt amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Essays were evaluated by nonprofit professionals at The Road Home. Many of the ideas presented are being considered and adopted, and participants left with a better understanding of the challenges facing the homeless and with open doors to numerous service and career opportunities.
Virtual Tutoring & College Guidance
June 21, 2020
National Wingspan
To be tutored, please fill out: bit.ly/WSTutee
To be a tutor, please fill out: bit.y/WSTutor
Please register by June 29th, after which pairings will be conducted on a rolling basis.
The pandemic has caused major education disruptions across the country and around the world, especially in already-underserved communities that couldn't make the transition to remote and online learning. Wingspan, with each branch serving as a regional hub, is offering free tutoring, SAT/ACT prep, and college guidance for all ages and subjects. High school students may also receive strategic guidance in their college process, whether it be exploring extracurriculars, refining resumes, coaching interviews, or writing applications. Wingspan will give priority to members of marginalized communities. Tutors may receive hours or points from service organizations like NHS depending on their affiliated branch. Check with your local Branch for details.
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Wingspan Branch Food Security Directory
May 8, 2020
Florida, Utah, Central Texas & SoCal Wingspan
Directories:
Florida: bit.ly/WSFloridaFood
Utah: bit.ly/WSUtahFood
Texas: bit.ly/WSTexasFood
SoCal: bit.ly/WSSocalFood
Underprivileged communities across America have been hit the hardest by COVID-19. Aside from the serious damage to students' educations, the schooling disruption is an immense challenge to food-insecure families who depend on schools for their children's meals. Districts have been making efforts to continue feeding these children, but the information is disorganized and difficult to find. Several Wingspan Branches have taken the initiative to consolidate as much of this information as possible to help families navigate food insecurity.
COVID-19 Case Competition - Homeless Healthcare
April 10-11, 2020
National Wingspan
Wingspan Solutions hosted its COVID-19 case competition online to adapt to extraordinary times. The event raised over $2000 for frontline workers at Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless. The best ideas were passed along to be reviewed by the business and healthcare leaders in the fight.
Participants from 12 different states and provinces had 24 hours to address challenges faced by Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless and Trinity Center, a homeless healthcare provider and shelter, respectively. Participants leaned on their unique backgrounds, whether in business, engineering, computer science or public policy, to meet these challenges in a novel way.
The winning team, from Maryland, proposed reforming existing isolation housing programs to provide a higher level of care and using closed facilities, like the bathrooms in libraries or showers in public pools, to improve hygiene and disperse large groups that would otherwise be congregating at one place.
Other well-received proposals included an app that let street health teams mark the locations of the homeless, a logistics procurement model that sourced items like towels from small businesses, and a revival of cottage industry by furloughed employees and volunteers who still wanted to help.
