The Todd Wagner Foundation has dedicated tens of millions of dollars to improving the lives of at-risk children and strengthening underserved communities through a series of programs, each designed to provide the individuals served by those programs with the tools they need to build a bright future.  Below are just some of the programs created or supported by the Foundation.

MIRACLES

From its inception, the Foundation has been most drawn to the plight of young people who had few opportunities, a key priority for Mr. Wagner.  To help address their needs, and to provide them with the means—academic skills, self-discipline, and technological competence—to succeed, the Foundation funded and developed an innovative new program, MIRACLES®, which helps young people from modest backgrounds cultivate those crucial skills by leveraging technology in novel ways.

MIRACLES® is a comprehensive multi-year program designed to serve young people in center city communities by building technology skills to increase employability, enhancing academic skills to build reading and math ability, and augmenting life skills to create engaged citizens.  The Foundation conceived and implemented MIRACLES®, eventually establishing and operating the program in underserved communities in every region of the country.

As MIRACLES® evolved beyond the start-up stage and became a mature, thriving enterprise, the Foundation explored ways to ensure the sustainability of MIRACLES® while ceding the Foundation’s operational responsibilities, a transition consistent with the Foundation’s role as an incubator of philanthropic ventures, not a long-term operator of them.

After extensive research and discussions, the Foundation determined that the ideal solution to secure the future of MIRACLES® was to merge the program with the Club Tech programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.  The Clubs are the nation’s largest after school provider, operating approximately 4,000 facilities, and boast innovative thinkers among their leadership. For those reasons, the Clubs serve as an ideal platform to scale a technology program to serve disadvantaged children throughout the country.  Accordingly, several years after establishing MIRACLES®, the Foundation entered into an agreement with the Boys and Girls Clubs regarding MIRACLES® whereby the Clubs took over operation of the program, and the Foundation provided technical, administrative, and financial support to facilitate the transition.  The Clubs have since proven an effective and responsible steward of the MIRACLES® program.

After-School All-Stars

After-School All-Stars, founded in 1992 by Arnold Schwarzenegger, provides free, daily comprehensive after-school programs to nearly 81,000 children in need on over 450 school sites in 12 different cities from New York to Hawaii.  These programs, which serve primarily middle school students, incorporate academic support, enrichment opportunities, and health and fitness activities.

The Todd Wagner Foundation has been a principal sponsor of the national After- School All-Stars, on whose board Mr. Wagner served, and founded the Dallas chapter of the organization.

Since its launch in July 2001, the Dallas chapter of the After-School All-Stars has helped participants strive for excellence in each of five major disciplines:  sports and recreation, educational programs, technology training, arts and culture, and life skills and service learning.

The Foundation provided over the course of several years the financial and administrative support required for the Dallas chapter of the After-School All-Stars to become fully established and successful.  At that point, the Foundation transferred operational control of the Dallas After-School All-Stars to the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, and Dallas After-School All-Stars continues to be operated under the YMCA’s auspices.  Again, the transfer of the Dallas ASAS program to the YMCA implemented Mr. Wagner’s belief that, eventually, the Foundation should cede operational control of the entrepreneurial ventures fostered by the Foundation and integrate them with a well-established not-for-profit organization.

KIPP (“Knowledge is Power Program”)

KIPP, the “Knowledge Is Power Program”, is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. There are currently 109 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 33,000 students.

The Foundation has been a major supporter of KIPP since shortly after the Foundation was created.  Mr. Wagner has worked directly with KIPP’s founders to help them implement their model, which emphasizes academic rigor and family commitment.  The Foundation took a lead role in establishing the KIPP Truth Academy in the Oak Cliff area of South Dallas.  That school has thrived—recently it celebrated its first high school graduating class, and all are attending college. The Foundation also provided critical funding and support to help establish a KIPP academy in Mr. Wagner’s hometown of Gary, Indiana.

Meade Activity Center

The Foundation is a major benefactor of the Meade Activity Center  in Meade County, Kentucky, where the Wagner family has deep roots.  The Meade Activity Center permits Meade County residents, particularly its young people, to have a constructive outlet for exercise, recreation, and wellness activities which otherwise are lacking in the rural community.  The facility is located in Brandenburg, adjacent to the Ohio River.  Three successful benefit galas for the MAC have been held to date, and the Foundation has been a lead sponsor of each event, as well as the project itself.

Minority Technology Fund

One of the Foundation’s first initiatives was the Minority Technology Fund, which provided resources, mentoring, and training to help entrepreneurs in Dallas’s inner city compete in today’s technology-driven world. The Minority Technology Fund made important early investments in several companies, each of which benefited from the support of the Foundation, which provided office space, capital, and advice.

Other Philanthropic Ventures

In addition to its core focus on disadvantaged youth and underserved communities, the Foundation also has provided extensive support to a wide range of other worthy charities, including organizations focused on health care, youth programs, community outreach, and the arts.