History

The Board of Trustees has kept the goal of Founder and Charimain Emeritus, James H. Stevens, Jr. in focus.

“We are simply about people helping people in need.” Following a two-year feasibility study, Angel Flight Central, Inc., originally known as Wings Over Mid-America, Inc., was founded in August 1995 with four volunteer pilots hoping to help a total of two passengers per month. By the end of the organization’s 11th fiscal year AFC will have flown over 3,000 missions covering over 3 million charitable miles with a base of 1,000 volunteer pilots. AFC has seven full-time professionals on staff and a group of volunteers handling everything from mission screening and coordination to public relations and fund raising.

AFC played a leading role in the evolvement of a nationwide network, Air Charity Network, which became an official entity in April 2000. By sharing with and learning from others in our “industry” as well as working together to promote each other, we hope to better help people in need gain access to distant destinations.

Answering the increased and more defined responsibility of serving a 10-state region as a result of ACN’s creation, the AFC Board of Directors revised its bylaws and adopted a new outreach structure in August 2000. The hope is to have many local grassroots Angel Flight chapters, WINGS, in communities across our region. Through this effort and the building of strategic partnerships, the ultimate goal is to transport more people in need.