Who We Are

Founded in 1983, The Wooden Floor is one of the foremost creative youth development nonprofit organizations in the country. We transform the lives of young people in low‑income communities through the power of dance and access to higher education. By nurturing each child to innovate, communicate, and collaborate, they gain the skills necessary for success in school and in life.

Through Lift, We Are Serving More and Deepening Our Impact

In 2009, The Wooden Floor’s Board of Directors and staff embarked on a significant strategic planning process, resulting in an ambitious 10-year Strategic Vision 2010-2020. Our organizational strengths in leadership, management, and fiscal position are providing the foundation for much-needed internal growth and advancement for three key reasons. We are making substantive progress, however, opportunities still exist to go deeper, start earlier, and serve more.

WE MUST
GO DEEPER.

Our record of student success has fueled internal growth in our student body through a high retention rate. We must continue to expand current programming to sustain outcomes for larger numbers of students on their paths to success in school and in life.

WE MUST
START EARLIER.

The college access landscape is rapidly changing. Four-year college eligibility is increasingly competitive, and the bar continues to rise. We must advance to help students overcome challenges to access higher education.

WE MUST
SERVE MORE.

During the five years before launching Lift, we were forced to turn away 80 percent of children who line up to enroll due to current space constraints. Thanks to a community of supporters, we have achieved our first phase of growth and are pursuing opportunities to serve yet another 100 children by 2021.

OUR GOAL:
$27,200,000

%

Percent Towards Goal

CURRENT COMMITMENTS:
$20,132,616

We have organized this significant fundraising effort into a comprehensive, four-year campaign. All funding priorities listed below support each other, allowing us to focus on the needs of the organization and those we serve holistically.

To achieve our goal of raising $27.2 million by 2020, we have identified the following three key funding priorities:

 1. Advance Student Success

GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS
$11.5 MILLION

Our annual operating budget is funded predominately by private, philanthropic contributions to continue to best support the most vulnerable children and families we serve. To maintain and deepen high-quality programs that respond to the evolving needs of a growing number of students, we must grow our base of annual support over a four-year period to fund $11.5 million by 2020.

2. Invest in Tomorrow’s Leaders

EXTENSION OF THE WOODEN FLOOR CAMPUS
$5.7 MILLION

The Wooden Floor at Depot at Santiago
$2.85 million: Completed. Site opened and currently serving 100 additional youth.

Thanks to generous contributions totaling $2.85 million from our Lead Campus Expansion Underwriters and supporters as well as a partnership with C&C Development and Orange Housing Development Corp., we opened our second campus, The Wooden Floor at Depot at Santiago, in May 2018. This allowed us to serve an additional 100 students, totaling 475 youth year-round. Located less than one mile from our flagship location, this second location forms a “connected campus” where all students are served at both locations to meet their daily needs. This second location includes a dance studio, education center, and family counseling and resource center and is fully pre-funded for 10 years of operating support within our first year of opening.

Third Location Plan
$2.85 Million

In March 2019, The Wooden Floor’s Board of Directors identified and approved a third location within the same Depot at Santiago workforce housing community. This third location will include a dance studio, dance lab, education center, and an additional family counseling center, as well as a gathering space for students and families served by the organization.

DEPOT PHASE II RENDERING

3. Pivot to the Future of Education

SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ENDOWMENT GROWTH
$10 MILLION

$10 million in endowed fund investments will provide a more sustainable future and ensure expansion opportunities exist for future generations of deserving students. The Wooden Floor’s Endowment Fund Priorities:

General Endowment
$8 million
To support areas of greatest need and to continue to innovate in order to move more young people forward.

College Scholarship Endowment
$2 million
To support more tailored college scholarship awards to keep pace with students’ access to higher education.

It’s Your Move

WILL YOU HELP US LIFT CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL?

Within our first, quiet phase launched in 2016, we were proud and grateful to have received 100% financial and volunteer participation from The Wooden Floor Board of Directors, Campaign Cabinet and executive staff. Since launching our Lift campaign publicly, we are well-positioned and on track to achieve our campaign goal of $27.2 million.

Now, to reach this significant goal and to move the needle for those we serve, we need your help.

Your investment of this unprecedented campaign will strengthen The Wooden Floor’s commitment to transform the lives of more young people in low-income communities through the power of dance and access to higher education – now, and for generations to come.

We are deeply grateful for your generous consideration.

It’s Your Move

WILL YOU HELP US LIFT CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL?

Within our first, quiet phase launched in 2016, we were proud and grateful to have received 100% financial and volunteer participation from The Wooden Floor Board of Directors, Campaign Cabinet and executive staff. Since launching our Lift campaign publicly, we are well-positioned and on track to achieve our campaign goal of $27.2 million.

Now, to reach this significant goal and to move the needle for those we serve, we need your help.

Your investment of this unprecedented campaign will strengthen The Wooden Floor’s commitment to transform the lives of more young people in low-income communities through the power of dance and access to higher education – now, and for generations to come.

We are deeply grateful for your generous consideration.

Gift and Recognition Opportunities

To ensure all donors are acknowledged and recognized appropriately, special naming opportunities in addition to annual support recognition have been developed to show our deep gratitude for generous gifts to Lift.

CAMPUS EXPANSION

THE WOODEN FLOOR AT DEPOT AT SANTIAGO
PHASE I

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

Dance Studio
COMMITTED

Education & Community Room
COMMITTED

Reception Lobby
COMMITTED

Counseling Office &
Family Resource Center
COMMITTED

10-YEAR JOURNEY CIRCLE

Annex Catalysts
Underwrite annual participation for 100 new students
$250,000

Annex Advocates
Underwrite annual participation for 40 new students
$100,000

THE WOODEN FLOOR AT DEPOT AT SANTIAGO
PHASE II

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

Dance Studio
$1,000,000

Education & Community Room
$1,000,000

Dance Lab
$750,000

Family Counseling Center
$500,000

Reception Lobby
$500,000

10-YEAR JOURNEY CIRCLE

Annex Catalysts
Underwrite annual participation for 100 new students
$250,000

Annex Advocates
Underwrite annual participation for 40 new students
$100,000

THE WOODEN FLOOR ENDOWMENT

LONG-TERM ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

General Endowment Fund
GOAL: $8,000,000

Endowed College Scholarship Funds
GOAL: $2,000,000

10-YEAR JOURNEY CIRCLE

Annex Catalysts
Underwrite annual participation for 100 new students
$250,000

Annex Advocates
Underwrite annual participation for 40 new students 
$100,000

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS

On behalf of the students of The Wooden Floor, we recognize the following campaign leaders and supporters for their extraordinary
commitment to the Lift Campaign: Inspiring Young People. Building Our Community.

LEAD CAMPUS EXPANSION UNDERWRITERS
PHASE I

ALLAN AND SANDY FAINBARG FAMILY
Education & Community Center

O.L. HALSELL FOUNDATION
Family Resource Center

LINDA AND TOD WHITE
Dance Studio

OTHER CAMPUS EXPANSION UNDERWRITERS
PHASE I

PETER AND GINNY UEBERROTH
FAMILY FOUNDATION

SHARON D. LUND FOUNDATION AND
FROM MY HEART FUND

DIANE & RODNEY SAWYER

“I wish The Wooden Floor was in every city because it provides an invaluable service to an under‑served community. These kids would not be where they are without it. I get emotional talking about it. Where else can you drop off your child and know they are cared for by people who are really, genuinely invested in their future? We would never be able to afford dance classes let alone everything else The Wooden Floor offers. It’s amazing that, from a dance class, our life has taken a completely different path.”

ROSSI STAYNOVA, MOTHER OF EMMA

At The Wooden Floor, the whole family is supported. Izrael joined The Wooden Floor in 2016, and was followed by his brother Daren who enrolled the following year. According to their mother Sandra, The Wooden Floor has been an educational experience not only for her boys, but for her and her husband, as well. Sandra and her husband have access to parenting and communications workshops, one-on-one counseling, and other free services to help their boys succeed in school and in life.

Campaign Leadership

CAMPAIGN CABINET

Damien M. Jordan
Campaign Chair

Joan and Donald Beall
Honorary Chairs

Virginia and Richard C. Hunsaker
Honorary Chairs

Theresa Allen
Michelle Dean
James A. Driscoll

Arthur Ong
Judith F. Posnikoff
Diane Sawyer

Saar Swartzon
Tod White

“My wife, Yvonne, and I met with a high school senior of The Wooden Floor and her parents who said that they knew as smart as their daughter was, she would never have had the opportunity to go to college and study pre‑med without The Wooden Floor. Now, imagine hundreds of more students on the path to graduating high school and going to college. We find that very powerful. Lift: The Campaign for The Wooden Floor will make that image a reality.”

–DAMIEN M. JORDAN, CAMPAIGN CHAIR

“From our Board of Directors, staff, and parents, to our supporters, we are united as one in a single goal: to move young people forward. The impact of our mission is real, and we see it every day — one changed life can change an entire community.”


–DAWN S. REESE,
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

“My wife, Yvonne, and I met with a high school senior of The Wooden Floor and her parents who said that they knew as smart as their daughter was, she would never have had the opportunity to go to college and study pre‑med without The Wooden Floor. Now, imagine hundreds of more students on the path to graduating high school and going to college. We find that very powerful. Lift: The Campaign for The Wooden Floor will make that image a reality.”

–DAMIEN M. JORDAN, CAMPAIGN CHAIR

“From our Board of Directors, staff, and parents, to our supporters, we are united as one in a single goal: to move young people forward. The impact of our mission is real, and we see it every day — one changed life can change an entire community.”


–DAWN S. REESE,
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

© 2017 The Wooden Floor   |   All Rights Reserved