It's easy to sweep the issue under the rug.  It's easy to ignore the statistics.  It's easy to disregard the fact that sexual abuse remains one of the most under-reported and least discussed crimes in our nation.  Statistics show that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men struggle with the pain of having been sexually abused as children, and yet the incidents continue. 

But the cycle can be broken.  The WINGS Foundation provides services and resources to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse through education, support groups, and advocacy.  WINGS wants you to know that it is also easy to make a true difference by supporting us in our efforts to heal the wounded child living inside of these adults.  So easy in fact, that the amount you spend on your daily cup of coffee can help end a destructive cycle that affects families of all socioeconomic backgrounds, races, religions, and sexual orientations. 


See the difference your cup can make: 
        
$25 . . . or just two weeks of coffee purchases, will provide an entire month of support group services to a survivor of sexual abuse;
      
$50 . . . or one month of lattes, will provide personalized information referral services and advocacy to 5 survivors through our toll-free helpline;        


$500 . . . or a year's worth of espresso, will provide an orientation meeting to more than 20 survivors of sexual abuse who wish to join a support group.


Our mission is simple . . . break the cycle and heal the wounds of childhood sexual abuse by providing support services, education, and advocacy to adults throughout Colorado.  As the only organization in the state exclusively dedicated to serving adult survivors, the work ahead is anything but simple, which is why we need your support.


With the struggling economy we understand that everyone has been forced to do more with less.  WINGS has been doing just that, continuing to meet the needs of our clients, adding more services, and making every dollar count all with fewer resources!  In 2008, WINGS provided:

·         Responses to 1,762 requests for information, referrals, intakes to join a support group and crisis telephone counseling for survivors, their loved ones, and those who provide services to survivors;
·         762 support group meetings attended 2,812 times by adult survivors;
·         276 individuals with a WINGS support group in their community regardless of their health insurance or income;
·         62 educational presentations on the long-term consequences of sexual abuse to over 1,000 community members.

And in 2009 we added support groups for the loved ones of survivors and support groups for Spanish-speaking survivors. 


So it's simple...make a cup of difference for WINGS today.  Your tax-deductible donation makes a definable difference in the lives of individuals struggling with the issues of childhood sexual abuse.  Every donation, small or large, is helpful to the work we do.  To begin breaking the cycle and healing the wounds, donate online or contribute by visiting  our Giving First link.  Our Giving First profile is a comprehensive way to find out about WINGS' finances, programs, governance, etc. and enables a secure credit card donation without passing along the fees to WINGS. 


On behalf of the thousands of survivors helped by the WINGS Foundation thank you for your continued support.  We wish you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to working on behalf of you in 2010.