Our Impact
Every number represents a family whose trajectory changed for the better. Our 2024 Annual Impact Report documents the measurable outcomes of our six program areas and the collective investment of donors, volunteers, and community partners who make this work possible.
Program-by-Program Outcomes
Each program area tracks specific outcome indicators that align with national nonprofit benchmarking standards. These metrics are independently verified through our annual audit conducted by Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP and reported to the United Way of Central Carolinas as a condition of our partner agency status.
Housing Stability
Our Housing Stability team processed 578 intake requests in 2024, a 19% increase over the previous year. Of the 412 families who completed the full stabilization program, 89% maintained stable housing twelve months after program exit. Average time from intake to first assistance disbursement decreased from 14 business days to 9 business days following process improvements implemented in Q2. Landlord mediation success rate held steady at 76%, with 187 formal eviction proceedings halted through direct negotiation and emergency payment arrangements.
Parenting Education
Six full cohorts of Triple P and Circle of Security were delivered across 2024, with a combined enrollment of 318 parents and an 84% completion rate, exceeding the national average for community-based parenting programs of approximately 65%. Post-program surveys showed a 41% reduction in self-reported use of harsh discipline techniques and a 53% increase in parent confidence scores. Ninety-two percent of completers reported improved communication with their children at six-month follow-up.
Child Enrichment
After-school tutoring served 842 unique students during the 2023–2024 school year, with participants showing an average 0.7 grade-point improvement in targeted subjects (reading and mathematics). The STEM Summer Enrichment Camp graduated 124 students across three sessions, with 91% reporting increased interest in science and technology careers. Our Early Childhood Specialist completed 267 developmental screenings and facilitated 48 Head Start placements and 63 NC Pre-K enrollments for eligible families.
Financial Literacy
The Financial Empowerment Workshop Series, launched in late 2023 and scaled to four cohorts in 2024, graduated 289 participants with a 79% completion rate. Graduates reported an average annual household savings increase of $4,200 through a combination of budgeting improvements, benefits enrollment, and debt reduction. Sixty-seven families opened Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and are on track to receive matched savings totaling $134,000. Credit score improvements averaged 45 points among active participants.
Counseling Referrals
Our counseling referral network facilitated 487 family-to-therapist placements in 2024, a 31% increase from 2023. Average wait time from referral to first session decreased from 16 days to 8 days as we expanded our network to include four additional licensed providers. Families referred through WPFF attended an average of 9.3 sessions, compared to the regional average of 4.1 sessions for community mental health referrals, indicating significantly higher engagement and retention.
Crisis Intervention
Launched in January 2024, our Crisis Intervention Services responded to 203 family emergencies during the inaugural year, exceeding our projected capacity of 150 by 35%. Crisis categories included housing loss (38%), domestic violence (24%), child welfare involvement (19%), and acute food insecurity (19%). Eighty-nine percent of families were stabilized within 72 hours, and 71% subsequently enrolled in ongoing WPFF programs for sustained support. The crisis team distributed 340 emergency food boxes and issued 52 hotel vouchers for immediate shelter needs.
Stories of Transformation
Behind every statistic is a family whose story of resilience inspires our work. The following accounts are composite narratives based on real program outcomes, with identifying details changed to protect privacy.
The Ramirez Family
When Elena Ramirez, a single mother of three, was laid off from her warehouse position in March 2024, she had two weeks of savings and three months of rent already behind. The eviction filing came within weeks. Our Housing Stability team intervened with emergency rental assistance covering $3,800 in arrears, negotiated a repayment plan for the remaining balance, and enrolled Elena in the Financial Empowerment Workshop. Within six months, Elena had secured a new position with higher wages, opened an IDA savings account, and reduced her monthly debt obligations by $340 through credit counseling. Her children maintained perfect attendance in our after-school tutoring program throughout the transition.
The Johnson-Carter Family
Marcus and Denise came to WPFF after their 14-year-old son was suspended from school for the third time. Years of unaddressed trauma from a prior family crisis had manifested as behavioral difficulties that escalated during adolescence. Our intake team connected the family with a trauma-specialized family therapist and enrolled both parents in the Triple P Positive Parenting Program. After completing the eight-week parenting series and six months of family therapy, their son's school disciplinary incidents dropped to zero, his grades improved from D-average to B-average, and both parents reported dramatically improved family communication. Marcus now volunteers as a peer mentor for new fathers entering the program.
The Williams Family
Tanya Williams fled her home with her two daughters, ages 6 and 9, with nothing but an overnight bag after escalating domestic violence. Our crisis team responded within four hours, securing a Safe Alliance shelter placement the same evening and providing an emergency food box and toiletries. Over the following weeks, we coordinated a rapid re-housing placement in a new apartment, enrolled both girls in our after-school tutoring and art therapy programs, and connected Tanya with a pro-bono therapist specializing in domestic violence recovery. Within three months, the family was in stable housing, the children were excelling in school, and Tanya had completed our Financial Empowerment Workshop to build long-term economic independence.
2024 Funding Sources
WPFF operates with full financial transparency. Our annual audit is conducted by Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP and our Form 990 is available upon request. In 2024, total revenue was $3.2 million with an administrative cost ratio of 11.4%, well below the nonprofit sector average of 15%.
United Way allocation, Mecklenburg County CDBG funds, NC DHHS Family Strengthening grants, Foundation for the Carolinas community impact grants, and federal TANF-funded contracted services.
Recurring monthly giving program (The Foundation Circle), annual fund campaigns, estate gifts, and donor-advised fund distributions from 1,247 individual supporters across the Charlotte region.
Atrium Health, Wells Fargo Community Foundation, Duke Energy Foundation, Red Ventures, Ally Financial, and 23 additional corporate partners providing program underwriting and employee volunteer hours.
Annual Foundations Gala, Community 5K Walk/Run, golf tournament, fee-for-service training contracts with partner organizations, and investment income from endowment.
The Power of Volunteers
Volunteers are the backbone of our programs. In 2024, 347 individual volunteers contributed 42,180 hours of service across all six program areas. At the Independent Sector estimated value of $31.80 per volunteer hour, this represents $1,341,324 in contributed community value. Our volunteer retention rate of 72% (year over year) reflects the meaningful, well-supported volunteer experience we work to provide.
Become a VolunteerStrategic Goals for 2025
Expand to 3,800 Families
Scale program capacity by 17% through the addition of two full-time case coordinators and expanded volunteer mentoring partnerships with Central Piedmont Community College and Johnson C. Smith University.
Launch Mobile Service Unit
Deploy a staffed mobile intake unit to serve families in underserved areas of Mecklenburg County with limited transportation access, bringing assessments, benefits enrollment, and resource navigation to communities where families live.
Open East Charlotte Hub
Establish a second service location on the east side of Charlotte to reduce geographic barriers for families in the fastest-growing area of the county. Target opening: Q3 2025 pending capital campaign completion.