About Us
Our Vision
The vision of Eagles Wings Sanctuary is to work toward the elimination of domestic violence and bring more awareness to it in our community and surrounding areas. We visualize a world free from domestic violence and believe that every person has the right to be safe, empowered, and free from abuse and fear of violence. Our belief is that with the support and collaboration of others we can guide our survivors toward a life of freedom, peace, hope, and security.
Our mission
To provide holistic services and a sanctuary of safety to those who have endured and trying to recover from a history of domestic abuse and trauma. Our goal is to encourage women to empower themselves by focusing on rebuilding both emotionally and physically as they strive for a life of self-sufficiency.
Felicia Woods
Meet The Founder
Felicia Woods is the Founder of Eagles Wings Sanctuary Inc., a non-profit organization committed to supporting, empowering, and bringing hope to those affected by domestic violence through advocacy, awareness, education, and community partners. Inspired by her passion for women and children suffering from abusive relationships she started Eagles Wings Sanctuary to offer non-residential support services to survivors of domestic violence and their children who don’t need shelter but are in need of mental and emotional support. Felicia saw the need in the central Florida area for more resources to empower these women with the tools needed to escape their current situation. The primary goal of EWS is to transform lives one woman at a time by providing each with the ongoing care they need to become vibrant survivors.
Felicia completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Florida, a Master of Arts in School Counseling from Webster University, and a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from Minnesota Graduate School of Theology. Felicia has also served 31 years with Polk County School Board as a middle and high school counselor, now retired. Felicia understands the importance of meeting individuals where they are and helping them see a future, they may have never thought possible. After spending over 31 years in education, volunteering for several social service organizations, and collaborating with the Department of Children & Families, she knows the complex dynamics that occur within the family unit, and understands the prevalence of domestic violence within homes, as well as in the lives of millions of children. It is through this that she has intertwined her passion, experience, and education to create systems to assist survivors in finding safety for themselves and their children.
Through her dedication to spreading awareness, Felicia has become a certified advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault by becoming a Credentialed Advocate and Victim’s Service Practitioner as well as earning her certification in Mental Health First Aid. She has also volunteered in several local women’s shelters and volunteered with Lakeland Police Department’s Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART).
Felicia is dedicated to touching the heart of women and empowering them to live dependence free and enriched lives.
Advocating for survivors
and their communities globally
Eagles Wings Sanctuary is, a non-profit organization dedicated to, empowering, educating, and equipping survivors of domestic violence in the Central Florida area. Inspired by Christ's love and our passion for women and children we sought to provide a service to the many women suffering from abusive relationships. The need for more resources to empower these women led us to make Eagles Wings Sanctuary a reality.
We believe when provided a safe, supportive, and encouraging environment that all people have the capacity and resources within themselves to grow, heal, and change in which their past will no longer direct their present and future.
Eagles Wings respects the spiritual rights of each individual and does not require any religious affiliation nor discriminate according to denomination.
Why have the Lotus flower as part of our logo? We incorporated the Lotus flower as part of our logo because of what it represents. The Lotus flower is a symbol of strength, healing, purity, beauty, perseverance, promise, and enlightenment. This sense of purity arises from how it grows. It begins in muddy water, rises above it, and turns into a beautiful flower that reaches light/enlightenment. This flower also symbolizes resilience and rebirth. Its emergence and reemergence from murky water into a beautifully bloomed flower is analogous to human resiliency. We all possess an innate drive to survive and a tendency to thrive, even after living through trying or traumatic experiences like domestic violence. This serves as a symbol for the work Eagles Wings does to help survivors rebuild and reclaim their lives after abuse. The Lotus may appear fragile on the surface, but it is flexible and strong, securely anchored under the surface of the water. Many of us live in that murky water and never make it to the surface so we can blossom. The conditions that produce beautiful life are not always ideal, but that never stops the lotus from rising through adversity, opening its petals, and blossoming in the sun.
