We are committed to driving a culture of excellence amongst underserved demographics, primarily focusing on building strong foundations through education.

The Woods Empowerment Foundation was established in 2018 by my son, Derek G. Woods, as a structured means of giving back to the community. It was based on his life experience of hearing me repeatedly share my dream of establishing a foundation to help others, who were struggling to survive, better their lives. 

Growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s in the Carver Courts Housing Project in Kinston, NC with two working parents were happy times for me and my four siblings. My parents, Martha and Elijah Woods were both employed. My mother worked at a local tobacco factory and my Dad was a plumber. My siblings and I were not aware that we were poverty stricken because our parents worked, provided for us daily and instilled the love of Christ in us. They stood on their faith and the promises of God, and assured us that the Lord would make a way.

My parents wanted a better life for me and my siblings. They stressed the importance of getting an education and striving to do Greater things in life. My mother grew up with 7 siblings on a farm, plowing fields, planting crops and working in tobacco fields. Meanwhile, she looked daily for ways to escape farming life which was hard labor in the 1930’s and 1940’s. 

My mother and her five older siblings got together and derived a plan for themselves and their two youngest sisters. A plan which would include helping to send their two youngest siblings to college. My mother and her five older siblings’ future plan included making sacrifices to save monies individually, pool their monies together and send their two youngest siblings - Corena and Ollie - to college. After graduating from college and starting their professional careers, Corena and Ollie continued the tradition by sacrificing to help to send me and my siblings to college. 
My mother and her siblings, with their act of kindness, started a tradition which we follow to this date. 

I personally spent 26 years giving back to the community through my service as President of the Charlotte Flights Track Club. During that period I, along with many other volunteers and donors, helped develop thousands of youth from the Charlotte area into mentally, physically and socially powerful citizens.  The track club was successful in doing such through track and field training, competition and educational programming. The Charlotte Flights' beginnings date back to 1991 with 30 children primarily from two public housing projects in Charlotte - Earle Village and Double Oaks. Over the years the club has grown exponentially, and has had over 50 national champions and hundreds of college graduates. To date, the track club is still going strong under new leadership and yet the same principles and mission.

Here at the Woods Empowerment Foundation, we deeply believe that acts of kindness to help others in need should extend beyond our family needs. The Woods Empowerment Foundation desires to continually partner with other non profit organizations to satisfy our mission of driving a culture of excellence amongst underserved demographics, primarily focusing on building strong foundations through education. We look forward to continuing our philanthropic journey.

Alvin Woods, President

Cynthia Woods, Vice President

Derek Woods, Secretary