WINGS OF HOPE

Renee Mendonca, is a 17 year old Anti-Vaping activist, humanitarian, social entrepreneur, composer and singer of “BREAK FREE FROM ADDICTIONS”.

RENEE shares her wisdom as ADVISOR on QUORA, WRITER of INTERNATIONAL TEEN MAGAZINE VAPING.

RENEE  has created a powerful impact and was instrumental in s and BLOGGER on Medium, YOUTUBER to spread awareness of the dangers of saving the lives of youth addicted to VAPING GLOBALLY.

Renee is a leading VOICE in the Anti Vaping Campaign.

Renee is an HONOR ROLL STUDENT and belongs to the prestigious NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY. She is Co-Founder and President of Model UN Club in her School. She is a GOLD MEDALIST of Mathematics and Science in National Level Olympiads. She represents her school as 1st Doubles Player in Table Tennis.

Renee came across the advertisement by E-Cigarette Company, JUUL on Social Media “SAVE ROOM FOR TASTY TREATS AND REWARDS”. She put pen to paper and wrote a letter to E-Cigarette Company, JUUL, expressing her disapproval how they were using Social Media to target underage teenagers where High School students live. She also protested in her letter how they were using sweet dessert flavours such as Gummy Bears, Cotton Candy, Creme, Mango to entice teenagers and hook them to Nicotine in disguise. 

Due to Renee’s letter, E-Cigarette Company, JUUL withdrew all Social Media Marketing Campaigns and flavored pods targeted at youth. 

Renee dedicates 2 hours daily to respond to SECRET LETTERS she receives from vaping addicts globally through her WINGS OF HOPE. 

Renee has conducted Social Media Campaigns  to caution youth of the dangers of VAPING which has inspired many youth to QUIT VAPING.

Even though vaping and smoking is banned in public places, we have often witnessed people smoking and vaping in buses, subways, parks, schools, colleges and other public places. Thus polluting the air and the environment. 

This poses a potential health risk, not only to the smoking and vaping addicts, but also to the  innocent people who are present in public places. They are exposed to this dangerous fumes as PASSIVE SMOKERS which is equally detrimental to health. Medical studies have shown that you can contract dangerous lung disease such as Pulmonary Fibrosis even as a passive smoker. 

Very often there are infants and young children in parks, subways and buses who are left helpless when the vaping and smoking addicts decide to smoke and vape in public. This could cause them permanent irreversible damage to their tender lungs.

One pod of a popular e-cigarette, JUUL, can contain as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. Nicotine can change the chemistry of the young brain; it can worsen memory and concentration, decreasing learning ability. Along with nicotine, the aerosol from heated e-liquids can also contain harmful chemicals like formaldehyde (cancer-causing chemical), benzene (cancer-causing chemical), diacetyl from flavoring.

We have conducted Campaign in Schools and Social Media to spread awareness of the dangers of VAPING and SMOKING. We know that youth love music. We have used our talent of singing to compose and sing a song “”BREAK FREE FROM ADDICTIONS” to spread awareness of DANGERS OF VAPING AND SMOKING. Due to our campaign 50% of youth addicted to VAPING pledged to give up VAPING.

 We have also started a petition urging all the youth to give up smoking and vaping. Till date we have helped 50,00 youth from New York.

On Renee’s 17th Birthday, she did a noble act. She traded her Birthday presents to save lives of youth addicted to vaping. She asked all her friends and well wishers to donate to St. Jude Hospital as her BIRTHDAY GIFT. She raised $ 1,50,000 dollars for treatment of youth vaping addicts. She said this was the best celebration for a cause bigger than herself.

I am Co-Founder of WINGS OF HOPE is a youth led movement which has a huge social media presence. 

 We have launched a unique and a novel ONLINE HELP CENTER 24/7/365 known as SECRET LETTER wherein the youth can write us an ANONYMOUS LETTER.

Due to her strong letters,  E-CIGARETTE COMPANY, JUUL, withdrew all its SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING CAMPAIGNS and FLAVOURED E-CIGARETTES targetting youth.

The youth are very comfortable in opening up and sharing their trauma since CONFIDENTIALITY is maintained and their identity is not disclosed. Besides, they are afraid to confide in their parents since many of the youth use their pocket money to buy FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES and secretly vape in schools and homes without the knowledge of their parents and teachers.

On weekdays, WINGS OF HOPE receives 50 letters and on weekends they receive more than 200 letters from the youth in distress caught in the web of vaping globally. The joy of doing good and the desire to lend a helping hand keeps Renee awake at night till 2.00 am responding to SECRET LETTERS  received from vaping addicts globally. Her letters are always laced with love, kindness and compassion. Her advice is very practical and easy to follow which the youth find very appealing. 50% of vaping addicts have decided to QUIT VAPING. RENEE is a HUMAN ANGEL in the lives of VAPING ADDICTS.

Renee is confident that Elevate prize will open big doors of opportunity in saving lives of New Yorkers in New York city.I am Co-Founder of a youth led organisation “WINGS OF HOPE” wherein we help youth addicted to VAPING, SMOKING, GUN VIOLENCE, BULLYING. Youth of today are the future citizens of tomorrow in New York. If we educate the youth about the health risks and dangers of VAPING, SMOKING, GUN VIOLENCE we will have healthy productive citizens in the future which will in turn build the economy of New York. 

The death of her beloved Grandpa to Pulmonary Fibrosis who was her BEST FRIEND, CONFIDANTE and ROLE MODEL crumbled her life. He was a chain smoker from the age of 14. She wanted to save his life, but she stood there helpless as she watched her beloved grandpa gasping for breath.  They could not afford a lung transplant or an oxygen ventilator. He died right before her eyes. From that day onwards, she vowed to save young lives caught in the web of addictions.

This is how WINGS OF HOPE was born. She started it when she was 10 years old along with her twin sister RHEA MENDONCA.

Renee was invited to her friend's  SWEET 16th birthday. Suddenly, this friend dropped down unconscious right before her eyes. She was rushed to the hospital by an ambulance. On medical investigation, it was found that her lungs had collapsed due to vaping JUUL for one year. 

This was the most heartbreaking time for her family and friends. 

She confessed that she was not aware that JUUL had nicotine in it. She had smoked 16 JUUL PODS back to back. She was attracted to JUUL because of tasty flavours such as cotton candy, gummy bears and creme. She was enticed to try JUUL after watching the advertisement “SAVE ROOM FOR TASTY TREATS AND REWARDS”

Renee lost her 17 year old Instagram friend due to vaping and 50 friends have been in and out of hospitals due to VAPING.

Renee interviewed 1000 vaping addicts to study the vaping trends in high schools. She found 90% of students use JUUL as a first TOBACCO product because of youth appealing flavours. These findings made Renee spend sleepless  nights.

These incidents in Renee’s life made her passionate about saving youth addicted to vaping.

I am a 17 year old teenager who is the Co-Founder of WINGS OF HOPE.

I have realised that the YOUTH OF  TODAY listen to the voice of their PEERS rather than being preached by an ADULT. Since WINGS OF HOPE is a youth led organisation, it has a YOUTH APPEAL. The youth are very comfortable in bearing their scars and sharing their trauma with us SECRETLY wIthout revealing their identity. Thus protecting their REPUTATION and SELF ESTEEM. 

We have successfully helped 50,00 youth from New York till date. The numbers are increasing by leaps and bounds day by day of the youth reaching out to us through our SOCIAL MEDIA INSTAGRAM PAGE Wings_Ofhope and EMAIL ACCOUNT wingsofhope555@gmail.com. 

The millenials and the generation z live on social media and it is the perfect and best  platform to address and help the youth 24/7/365 timely, easily, and quickly.

I am confident that I am the rightful person to come to the rescue of  the youth caught in the clutches and web of VAPING, SMOKING addictions and VICTIMS OF BULLYING to have STIGMA FREE, STRESS FREE and VAPE FREE LIFE.

In Renee’s words …

Running Wings of Hope from age 10, made me realize I do not have to wait to be an adult to do good. 

Since I was underage, I learned to trust and depend on my elders to mentor, guide and support me in my journey. I learnt to rely on the wisdom of my MENTORS and TEACHERS, Counsel of LAWYERS and ACCOUNTANTS and most importantly a team of VOLUNTEERS from across the globe without whose help my organisation would not be alive today. 

My journey running WINGS OF HOPE has not always been roses and rainbows. Manytimes, I felt like bading goodbye to my own baby, but the joy of doing good surpassed my angst, humiliation and distrust, I faced from people six times my age when I approached them for funding. Often they would ridicule and even shut the door in my face, which made me tap on bigger and more doors. This has taught me resilience, compassion, patience and NEVER GIVE UP attitude. 

Renee Mendonca have been fundraising to help CORONAVIRUS VICTIMS in AMERICA, ASIA and EUROPE.

The most vulnerable to this virus are the homeless community due to the lack of sanitation, money and proper supplies.

She felt that she could not look away anymore. Hence Renee decided to do whatever we can to help, so that we could look at ourselves in the mirror in this crisis and be happy that we have played our part as global citizens.

She has contacted homeless shelters to which we will be donating these coronavirus sanitation kits. 

Till date Renee has distributed 1000 sanitation kits and food cans to the homeless on the streets of New York.

We plan to install VAPING DETECTING DEVICES in 500 PUBLIC SCHOOLS in  the 5 Boroughs of New York city. 

This VAPING DETECTING DEVICE not only detects vaping but also gun violence, physical assault, bullying, smoking particularly in school bathrooms and locker rooms.The equipment is fitted with a multi-sensor device which is connected to a cloud based platform. Each sensor device is capable of detecting vape, smoke and noise disturbance such as gun violence, bullying or fighting. It sends an immediate location specific notification to mobile devices of school officials in real time. 

This powerful device helps prevent bullying, gun violence, physical abuse, smoking and vaping in schools.

Thus making our public schools safer, cleaner and healthier.

Hence protecting and saving lives of youth who are future citizens of New York.

We can install the VAPING DETECTING DEVICE in 500 public high schools in the 5 BOROUGHS of New York City.

TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT WILL BE $2,00,000/- Dollars.

Our GOAL is to install VAPING DETECTING DEVICES in 500 PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

Public high schools have limited budgets and cannot afford to install this VAPING DETECTING DEVICES in PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS.

If we are awarded this DAVID PRIZE we will sponsor FREE VAPING DETECTING DEVICE in 500 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Each school has 3,000 to 5,000 students per public high school in NEW YORK.

Hence we will be protecting and saving lives of 5,000 x 500 = 2,500,000 i.e. 2.5 million students, besides teachers, administrative staff and blue collared workers in public high schools in New York. 

• Youth of today are the future citizens of tomorrow in New York. If we educate the youth about the health risks and dangers of VAPING, SMOKING, GUN VIOLENCE we will have healthy productive citizens in the future which will in turn build the economy of New York. 

• We plan to put up hoarding all across New York in Subways, Buses, Parks and public spaces to spread awareness of the dangers of smoking, vaping, bullying and gun violence. 

• In 5 years time we plan to expand our work and install VAPING & SMOKING DETECTING DEVICES in public spaces such as buses, subways, parks, schools and colleges. Hence ensuring New York city to be a safe, clean and healthy city for all those who work, live and travel to New York city. 

• This one powerful device is tackling 5 KILLERS IN SOCIETY I.E. GUN VIOLENCE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, SMOKING, VAPING and BULLYING.

We plan to extend our work also to adults who are caught in the web of VAPING, SMOKING, GUN VIOLENCE AND PHYSICAL ABUSE. 

We want to have DE-ADDICTION CENTRES in 5 BOROUGHS of New York to help VAPING and SMOKING ADDICTS.

We also want to install 24 hours HOTLINE to help VICTIMS OF SMOKING, VAPING, BULLYING & GUN VIOLENCE of all ages and sexes.

• In 5 years, I have a burning desire of making New York a SAFE HEAVEN FREE from GUN VIOLENCE, VAPE, SMOKE, PHYSICAL FIGHTS & BULLYING in PUBLIC PLACES. This will also in turn help us to save the environment being polluted by toxic fumes emanated from VAPING, SMOKING & GUNS. 

This poses a potential health risk, not only to the smoking and vaping addicts, but also to the  innocent people who are present in public places. They are exposed to these dangerous fumes as PASSIVE SMOKERS which is equally detrimental to health. Medical studies have shown that you can contract dangerous lung disease such as Pulmonary Fibrosis even as a passive smoker. 

Very often there are infants and young children in parks, subways, buses and other public places who are left helpless when the vaping and smoking addicts decide to smoke and vape in public. This could cause them permanent irreversible damage to their tender lungs.

I, Renee Mendonca, as a youth leader and resident of New York City want to lead the way and take bold action inorder to protect our youth who are the future citizens of New York.

 If we are awarded the prize, we will succeed in placing VAPING DETECTING DEVICES in 500 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS in the 5 BOROUGHS of New York City. This will not only save life of youth, but also save our environment being polluted by lethal fumes. 

In Renee’s words …

Running Wings of Hope from age 10, made me realize I do not have to wait to be an adult to do good. 

Since I was underage, I learned to trust and depend on my elders to mentor, guide and support me in my journey. I learnt to rely on the wisdom of my MENTORS and TEACHERS, Counsel of LAWYERS and ACCOUNTANTS and most importantly a team of VOLUNTEERS from across the globe without whose help my organisation would not be alive today. 

I learnt that inorder to take my movement globally networking with the right people is the KEY to success. 

Social Media has the power to transform the lives of youth positively. Even one youth voice has the power to bring about a whirlwind of change in society. If you believe that there is injustice stand up against it which could create a RIPPLE EFFECT.

Wings of Hope has taught me to be a SERVANT LEADER.

My journey running WINGS OF HOPE has not always been roses and rainbows. Manytimes, I felt like bading goodbye to my own baby, but the joy of doing good surpassed my angst, humiliation and distrust, I faced from people six times my age when I approached them for funding. Often they would ridicule and even shut the door in my face, which made me tap on bigger and more doors. This has taught me resilience, compassion, patience and NEVER GIVE UP attitude. 

The death of my 17 year old INSTAGRAM friend from BRONX due to VAPING has left me devastated. 

I tried advising him several times to give up vaping, but he found it very difficult to fight his vaping addiction. 

He shared with us in the SECRET LETTER that suddenly he felt like a 100 year old man with no strength in his body. He struggled to climb the steps in his school and often collapsed due to breathlessness. 

He contacted us 2 months before he death. By then the disease had taken full control over his body. It was too late, I feel very guilty, I could not save his life.

I was spending sleepless nights as I watched my underage peers VAPE during school. My school was transformed into a VAPING DEN.

I could not bear the loss of another friend or peer die prematurely due to VAPING. I felt I could not remain silent anymore.

This triggered me to write letters to MAYOR & GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK, E-CIGARETTE COMPANY JUUL to stop Flavoured E-Cigarettes in New York.

Due to my efforts it has the following results :

1.E-Cigarette Company JUUL, withdrew all its SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING CAMPAIGNS and FLAVOURED E-CIGARETTES directed towards youth in November 2018.

I realized due to the magnitude of my actions, at the age of 15, it had created a SNOWBALL EFFECT. I  was instrumental in saving lives of youth in New York addicted to VAPING.

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St Rita Church

Susan E.Wagner High School