Hope Takes Flight

In the heartfelt feature by Erin Baka, Hope Takes Flight showcases Helping Wings, a nonprofit dedicated to flying children in need to medical treatment centers at no cost. The organization addresses not only the financial and logistical barriers that families face when seeking critical pediatric care but also the emotional weight of distance.

Jason Kirschnick, the founder and a commercial pilot, launched Helping Wings after witnessing the challenges firsthand. Today, a network of volunteer pilots and generous donations keeps the mission aloft—ensuring no child is grounded by financial hardship or geography when life-saving care is thousands of miles away.

“There’s a quiet emergency happening,” says the team at Helping Wings. “It’s not just about getting a child to a hospital — it’s about confronting the harsh reality that access to care is still unequal. The right treatment might exist, but it’s often out of reach for families who don’t have the means to get there.”

Read Hope Takes Flight by Erin Baka, City Lifestyle