FAQs
General
Wings of Hope is a humanitarian aviation nonprofit that uses airplanes to connect people with the care and resources they need. In the U.S., we fly individuals to life-saving medical appointments through our Medical Relief & Air Transport (MAT) Program. Internationally, we support partners in nine countries who provide health care and community development services in remote areas.
We use aircraft to overcome barriers like distance, terrain, and lack of infrastructure, making it possible for people in need to access critical health services. Whether it’s transporting a child to a specialty treatment center in St. Louis or helping deliver emergency care in rural Zambia, aviation allows us to reach the unreachable.
Wings of Hope operates with a small paid staff and a large team of dedicated volunteers, allowing us to direct at least 86 cents of every dollar toward our programs. Volunteers are vital to our mission—we welcome pilots, nurses, and medics to support our Medical Relief & Air Transport (MAT) Program. But you don’t need to be a pilot to make a difference! We also rely on volunteers for administrative support, special events, and skilled roles in areas like accounting, finance, and marketing. Even maintaining our hangar and grounds is made possible by volunteers.
Interested in volunteering?
We’d love to hear from you! Email us at Volunteer@wingsofhope.ngo or call 636-537-1302 to learn more.
You can learn more about Wings of Hope by following us on social media, where we regularly share stories, photos, and updates from our programs. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
For specific questions or additional information, feel free to give us a call at 636-537-1302 or email us at info@wingsofhope.ngo. We’re happy to connect and share more about our mission and work!
Global Programs
Since our founding in 1963, Wings of Hope has worked in more than 50 countries around the world. Today, we support humanitarian efforts through partnerships with organizations in eight countries, helping deliver health care and community development services to remote and underserved areas. Our current international partners include:
- Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT) – Belize
- John Givonetti Giving – Cambodia
- Patrulla Aérea Civil Colombiana (PAC) – Colombia
- Samaritan Aviation – Papua New Guinea
- Iglesia Centro Cristiano Siloh – Paraguay
- Mercy Air South Africa – South Africa
- Flying Medical Service – Tanzania
- FlySpec (Flying Specialists) – Zambia
These partners are doing the critical work on the ground, and we’re proud to support their missions through aviation and other resources.
We partner with nonprofit and community-based organizations that use aviation to connect people in remote areas with essential health care services. Our focus is on building sustainable air service programs that respond to the unique needs of each community. We work collaboratively and with deep respect for local leadership, supporting our partners as they deliver care and improve lives in their regions.
Wings of Hope receives partnership requests from well-established organizations that are deeply rooted in the communities they serve and capable of supporting an aircraft. Each request is thoughtfully reviewed by our programs team to ensure it aligns with our mission and available resources. While we receive many inquiries, only a few move forward—those that demonstrate a clear community need and the potential for long-term sustainability.
Medical Relief & Air Transport (MAT) Program
Not quite. Unlike others that use volunteer pilots with personal aircraft, Wings of Hope’s MAT Program uses our own specially equipped planes flown by highly skilled volunteer pilots. All flights are completely free for patients and families and are often repeated throughout treatment.
What sets us apart is our full-service approach to our patients; we coordinate every step of the journey. We're not just a flight service—we’re a partner in the patient’s care.
Wings of Hope provides medical air transportation within an 800-mile radius of our headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, covering parts of 26 states across the Midwest, South, and portions of the East. This range allows us to fly patients to and from hospitals and treatment centers without the need for refueling.
Our service area is determined by the type of aircraft we operate, which are optimized for regional flights.
We have three planes dedicated to the MAT Program: one Navajo and two Piper Senecas. Each is equipped to accommodate a stretcher and medical equipment. We maintain these planes to strict safety standards, using a team of paid and volunteer mechanics. We can proudly state that we have a 100% safety record transporting patients to care.
Individuals who need specialized medical care but cannot access it due to financial hardship or medical conditions that make car or commercial air travel unsafe. Each request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
While many of our Medical Relief & Air Transport (MAT) patients are children, we also serve adults of all ages. Our patients often face complex medical conditions and barriers to accessing care—especially those who are non-ambulatory or unable to fly commercially due to compromised immune systems or mobility challenges.
Common cases include:
- Babies with clubfoot or cleft palate
- Children with rare cancers or immune disorders
- Individuals with rare diseases requiring specialty care far from home
- Adults and children undergoing cancer treatment
There is no limit to the conditions our patients may have. What they all share is a lack of access to critical medical care—and Wings of Hope uses the MAT Program to bridge that gap and bring hope where it’s needed most.
Absolutely nothing. We never charge patients, their families, insurance companies, or taxpayers. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and volunteers, we’re able to provide this life-changing service at no cost—so patients can focus on healing, not how they’ll get there.
SOAR into STEM
A five-week, hands-on STEM learning experience that provides high school students project-based learning, connections to STEM curriculum; and a front-row seat into the workings of a global aviation nonprofit using airplanes to change and save lives.
The five-week interactive program is open to high school students who are interested in exploring career paths in aviation and understanding how aviation is used in humanitarian work. The program mission is to provide equitable access to aviation and STEM education, with a focus on serving students from under-served and underrepresented communities.
Experienced STEM educators, working and retired professionals representing a wide range of aviation and STEM-related experience — and Wings of Hope volunteers, many of whom are trained pilots, mechanics, and engineers.
Students participate in high energy and engaging STEM and aviation project-based activities, enriched by a series of expert presentations. Highlights include:
- Experiencing a flight simulator
- Piloting a small-engine aircraft (closely supervised by a pilot)
- Piloting a drone through an obstacle course
- Access to industry experts, including guest speakers from Boeing and other aviation related organizations.
Wings of Hope’s world headquarters in Chesterfield on the Spirit of St. Louis Airport grounds.
At first glance, a STEM program may not seem like a natural fit for an aviation nonprofit—but for Wings of Hope, it’s a perfect match.
Across Missouri and the U.S., many students—especially those from low-income and minority communities—lack access to hands-on STEM learning, industry mentors, and career pathways. At the same time, the aviation industry is facing a critical workforce shortage and a lack of diversity.
Our SOAR into STEM program addresses both challenges head-on by providing students with meaningful STEM experiences, real-world exposure to aviation, and guided mentorship. We’re not just helping students imagine a future in STEM and aviation—we’re giving them the tools and opportunities to achieve it.
Check out the SOAR into STEM page or call 636-537-1302. School districts, youth organizations, and individuals can apply for SOAR into STEM partnership or field trips, classroom visits, and other educational opportunities.