Feel Good Friday - The Ninety-Nines

Today is Amelia Earhart Day, honoring the pioneering aviator born on this day in 1897. That makes it a great day to talk about an organization that carries her legacy forward, The Ninety-Nines.

Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the mission of The Ninety-Nines is "to promote the advancement of aviation through education, scholarships and mutual support while honoring our unique history and sharing our passion for flight." Earhart herself helped bring the group together, meeting with 25 other licensed women pilots at Curtiss Field on Long Island in 1929. The organization took its quirky name from the number of charter members who ultimately signed on and she went on to serve as its first president. Nearly a century later, the group has grown into a worldwide network of chapters spanning the U.S., Canada, and beyond.

The Ninety-Nines still centers mentorship and access today. Their Professional Pilot Leadership Initiative pairs women pursuing aviation careers with experienced mentors, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to succeed in a field where they remain a small minority. For people who've never set foot in a cockpit, the Let's Fly Now! First Flight Program offers an introduction to flying, often the spark that turns curiosity into a career. 

The organization also awards Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships and Section and Chapter Scholarships to help cover the steep cost of flight training, while its long-running Airmarking program paints identifying markers on rooftops and water towers to help pilots navigate. The Ninety-Nines’ Museum of Women Pilots preserves the stories of the women who paved the way. This month, the group is mourning longtime member Wally Funk, one of the celebrated Mercury 13 women and later a Blue Origin astronaut, a reminder of just how far its members have flown.

If you’re feeling inspired, there are several ways you can support The Ninety-Nines and the future of women in aviation. Make a donation or become a Friend of the 99s if you're not a pilot yourself but want to back their mission. You can also amplify their message on social media by following The Ninety-Nines on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, and help keep Earhart's legacy airborne.

Happy Amelia Earhart Day! 

Feel Good Friday - Latino Outdoors

June is National Great Outdoors Month, and there's no better time to celebrate Latino Outdoors, a Latine-led organization connecting comunidades to the beauty and healing of the natural world.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the mission of Latino Outdoors is "inspiring and connecting comunidades to the outdoors, centering cultura, celebrating familia and heritage, and uplifting our history and leadership as part of the outdoor experience." The Latino community is one of the fastest-growing in the United States, yet remains underrepresented in conservation and outdoor spaces. Latino Outdoors works to change that, rooted in the belief that an ethic of conservation and a deep connection to the natural world have always been part of la cultura Latina.

LO's three programmatic pillars make that vision real. Vamos Outdoors is the heart of the organization, offering free hikes, picnics, bird walks, camping trips, and more through a national network of over 200 volunteer leaders. From first-timers to seasoned trail regulars, everyone is welcome. About 85% of outings include participants who attend together with family members, and nearly 80% include someone experiencing the activity for the first time. Yo Cuento Outdoors amplifies the voices and stories of community members, celebrating real lived experiences in nature through blog posts, films, and photography. And Crecemos Outdoors supports the next generation of outdoor leaders through training, mentorship, and access to a Jobs+ board  that has shared over 8,000 outdoor-related job, internship, fellowship, and scholarship opportunities since 2020.

The impact speaks for itself. Since launching outdoor programming in 2014, LO's volunteer network has delivered over 2,200 outings for more than 44,000 participants across more than 30 locations nationwide, with about half of that growth happening since 2024. One in four participants is a child or youth.

If you like what you learned, you can support Latino Outdoors in many ways. Join a free outing near you, make a donation, and amplify their message on social media. Follow Latino Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube and share their stories of community and connection with your network.

Happy Great Outdoors Month!

 

Feel Good Friday - Winning Futures

Happy New Year! January  is National Mentoring Month, making it the perfect time to spotlight Winning Futures and their transformative approach to helping students plan their futures.

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the mission of Winning Futures is "to be an exemplary business-education partnership that inspires and prepares young people to be self-reliant and successful through workforce preparation, life skills, strategic planning, mentoring, and scholarship programs.” 

Winning Futures runs a unique seven-year Workforce Prep Mentoring Program that starts when students are in 10th grade and continues through four years of college, trade school, or other continuing education. Each student is paired with a volunteer career mentor from the business community who attends monthly sessions at participating schools across Metro Detroit—including Detroit, Harper Woods, Warren, Sterling Heights, Hazel Park, and Pontiac. This video explains more about what mentors do and the impact they have.

The program covers everything from career exploration and goal setting to financial literacy, emotional intelligence, and strategic planning. Students learn to create five-year academic and career plans, develop resumes, practice interviewing, and build the life skills they need to thrive. That means tackling topics like time management, overcoming obstacles, networking, and coping with stress—all the real-world skills that don't always get taught in traditional classrooms.

Winning Futures has had a big impact in the community. Since they began, they’ve worked with more than 50,500 students and awarded over $2.2 million in scholarships! In the 2024-25 school year alone, 98% of their seniors graduated from high school, and 92% of Year 3 students reported being more prepared to persevere through challenges. A University of Michigan study found that the program has a statistically significant and equitable impact across all races, income levels, and genders.

Winning Futures is the first and only mentoring program in Michigan to earn the National Quality Member designation from MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership—a testament to their commitment to excellence.

If you'd like to support Winning Futures, there are many ways to do so. You can volunteer as a career mentor or help with scholarship judging, make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Follow Winning Futures on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to their YouTube channel, and share their stories of student success with your network.

Feel Good Friday - College Track

Last week's Feel Good Friday blog focused on high school graduation. This week, we take the College Track.

Founded in 1997, College Track "is a unique, comprehensive 10-year college completion program that empowers students from underserved communities to graduate from college". They started with a group of 27 students in East Palo Alto, California and now have over 3,000 students around the country on the path to college graduation and beyond.

The mission of College Track is "to remove the academic, financial, and social-emotional barriers that prevent low-income and first-generation students from earning their college degree." They start working with students in 9th grade and stay with them through high school, college and post-graduation.

During their high school years, students attend one of the 12 College Track centers and participate in programs focused on academic affairs such as tutoring and SAT prep, student life engagement in service projects and wellness programs, and college completion where they are advised on filling out college applications and applying for financial aid.

While in college, students work with an advisor on academic and financial issues, and on building social-emotional skills. Students also participate in corporate residency programs, mentorships and internships. Post-graduation, College Track helps connect students with the resources they need to further their careers.

So, does it work? Yes! 79% of students are employed within 6 months of graduation and 95% have a job with employer-provided benefits. 75% borrow less than $30,000 in loans and the median salary for graduates age 25-34 is $62,500.

If you know a student who would benefit from this program, have them apply at this link. If you'd like to support all the students in College Track you can volunteer, donate, and spread the word on social media by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @collegetrack.

Feel Good Friday - Everybody Wins! Iowa

You know who wins on Feel Good Friday? Everybody!

Today's organization is Everybody Wins! Iowa. While it sounds like it has to do with the upcoming caucus and presidential election, it's a nonprofit focused on literacy. 

Everybody Wins! Iowa was founded by Phyllis and Arthur Tannenbaum with a mission "to increase children's success in school and life through one-to-one reading and mentoring experiences with caring volunteers." The program started in New York and was brought to Iowa in 2002 by Senator Tom Harkin

In Central Iowa, nearly 1 in 5 fourth grade students are not reading on grade level. Everybody Wins! Iowa addresses this with their signature program, Power Read. Teachers recommend students who are struggling with reading, are English language learners or those who might benefit from mentoring. Those students are matched with volunteers and they meet one-on-one for an hour every week at elementary schools and community organizations. 

Mentors and students read, talk and bond over books. Reading out loud with students helps them build vocabulary and learn new information, models fluent reading, and motivates children to read on their own. It also increases students' confidence and self-esteem and instills in them a positive attitude about reading. Watch this 2-minute video to see the program in action.

When they started in 2002, Everybody Wins! Iowa served 15 children in 3 schools. In the 2018-2019 school year, over 900 children were matched with mentors in 36 schools across central Iowa. That's how everybody wins: students get consistent interaction with caring adults, mentors get to make a positive impact on the children, schools see an improvement in their students' literacy skills, and companies have an easy way to provide volunteer opportunities to their employees.

If you want to support the work being done by Everybody Wins! Iowa and you live in Iowa, you can volunteer to become a mentor. The rest of us can donate cash, buy and donate a book from their wish list and spread the word on social media by liking their Facbook page and following them on Twitter @EverybodyWinsIA.

Feel Good Friday - SHE-CAN

Not only is today Feel Good Friday, it's International Women's Day. That's why we're highlighting an organization that supports women around the world, SHE-CAN.

SHE-CAN stands for "Supporting Her Education Changes A Nation". As explained on their website, the organization "empowers low-income women from countries restoring peace with the education, leadership skills and mentorship needed to become change-agents at home."

The process involves working with local partner organizations to identify young women with high potential, providing test preparation and connecting them to a team of mentors who will help the women apply for college in the U.S.  Mentors also host scholars and provide emotional and financial support.

SHE-CAN gives the scholars leadership training, career guidance and helps them secure internships so they can return to their countries as leaders, ready to make positive changes in their communities.

Currently, scholars are being identified in Cambodia and Rwanda, two countries that have experienced genocide in the not-so-distant past. You can read the stories of scholars and alumnae at this link.

The results of SHE-CAN's work are positive. Since 2011:

• 55 low-income women have won full-ride scholarships to 23 U.S. colleges
• 17 women have graduated and are now emerging leaders
• 220 professionals are SHE-CAN mentors, increasing the network of support
• $15 million in scholarship funds have been awarded

Sisterhood is powerful!

If you're interested in becoming a mentor, info sessions are happening now. You can also support the work of SHE-CAN by making a donation, and spreading the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @SHECANGlobal.

Feel Good Friday - Detroit Impact

I've been in Detroit all week and wanted to look for a local organization to profile for Feel Good Friday. That led me to Detroit Impact.

As explained on their Twitter page, "Detroit Impact Goal; to train, coach, educate, equip, and engage youth who have shown potential in the areas of leadership, mentoring, counseling and advocacy."

Founded in 1991, their programs include academic assistance in the form of group and individual tutoring, life skills mentoring, a Microsoft Computer Learning Center, a Motown Writers Journalism Class, Remote Car Circuit for kids 6-12 and education on money matters.

They also have voter registration education workshops, pet care classes and community clean ups! Click here and scroll to the bottom to watch a news clip on their recent STEAM classes and kids making rockets from water bottles. Click here to learn about how they connect students with paid summer internships.

To support the youth of Detroit and the many programs run by Detroit Impact you can make a donation and show the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @DetroitImpact91.