Our Belief + Mission
Despite the curveballs that life circumstances may throw, everyone deserves a chance to reach their full potential.
The Wood Family Foundation facilitates collaborative relationships between school partners and families that provide
support and opportunities to empower students to succeed in middle school, high school, and beyond.
The Wood Family Foundation’s premiere program, Pitch In, is an after-school model that employs high-quality
mentoring relationships and exposure to unique experiences to ensure that our 4th-8th grade students develop the
academic and social-emotional skills, mindsets, and agency necessary to transition to high school successfully.
Beyond the after-school component of our model, Pitch In deeply engages with our partner schools to
improve the culture of the middle grades (4th-8th grade), adding school-day capacity that aligns to principals’
visions for their school communities, providing access to an abundance of resources, and focusing not only on
our students, but also on their families.
We currently serve Humboldt Park and North Lawndale, and aspire to reach Austin, Englewood, and Roseland in the near future.
The Latest Pitch In News!
Girls Day Out!
As March celebrates the power of women through International Woman's Day, Pitch In decided to join in and host our first ever Girls Day Out! On March 25th, Pitch In gathered all of our
Getting excited about college at LCA
On Friday, March 16th, Pitch In and LCA hosted the Dream Bigger and Reach Higher college and career themed lock in! The event engaged students through vision boards, team building, financial literacy and mindfulness.
Leafy fun!
Living in the city has its perks, but sometimes a little break from the city lights does the body good. This is why our Pitch In team winner prize was a trip to the
Face to Face with Pitch In parents!
On Wednesday, March 7th, Pitch In hosted a Pitch In parent breakfast! Over steaming plates of eggs, hash-browns, bacon, and cups of coffee we came together to talk about Pitch In's goals, routines and vision
Celebrating Black History Month!
It's February, the month for celebrating the love you have for others and yourself, so it only makes sense that the month of love is also black history month! During the last few weeks students
LCA takes on Washington D.C!
Pitch In is very excited to feature Lawndale Community Academy's school counselor, Ms. Kirsten Perry, was honored with the National Counselor of the Year award. Awesome, right!? Well the awesomeness didn't stop there; to follow
Cooking with The Kids Table!
The first month of the new year was all about living a healthy lifestyle for our 4th graders. They learned about all the food groups and the effects of healthy and unhealthy food.
Celebrating our mentors!
On Wednesday Jan. 10th, Pitch In hosted a New Year's event to celebrate our amazing mentors. The dedication and love they put into Pitch In and its students is something to marvel at, and so
Together We Win
Over the past 2 years I have developed extremely special relationships with my mentees. Not only have I formed many new friendships, but I also have began to appreciate what I have as a result of being a mentor. Pitch In has become one of my homes away from home, as I have grown to feel like everyone involved is one big welcoming family.
Pitch In has given my grandson the confidence to lead others and speak in front of groups of people.
Jaylon has made new friends, bonded with his peers and become more independent since joining Pitch In.
I was really blessed and impressed that Kerry and Sarah were both so down to earth, and working in the trenches with all the volunteers. Ever since then, I try to help out and support WFF whenever I can, and mentoring for Pitch In is one way I can help.
I am so grateful to have spent my first school year with our amazing 4th grade students. I look forward to continuing to serve as a resource and positive influence in their lives as they move on to apply for high school. The Pitch In program is full of unbelievably bright, energetic and creative kids—paired with caring, fun, hardworking mentors and staff.