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!
Battle of the Bats
Four deserving Pitch In students were able to join us at Wrigley Field for our Battle of the Bats fundraiser! Due to great grades, positive behavior and overall improvement Tominique, Lattida, Damarcus and Da’Quan were chosen to represent Pitch In for our event.
Pitch In Summer Fun
The Pitch In summer program began this week with our first field trip! Pitch In students were able to enjoy a cooking lesson at Little Goat Diner. They made their own pizzas, pasta shapes and
Pitch In First Year Finale!
Hard to believe our first year of Pitch In came to a close yesterday! Pitch In students and mentors enjoyed an outdoor end of the year celebration complete with egg and spoon races, pictionary, water
How do you give back to others?
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Is space travel a religious matter?
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8 beautiful cathedrals explored
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Tribute paid to victims of the earthquake
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Faith is like a loving parent when you need it most
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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.