Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
About Kids Making It
What is Kids Making It? Kids Making It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth woodworking program in Wilmington, NC, that teaches vocational, entrepreneurial, and life skills to at-risk, low-income, and disadvantaged youth. Our goal is to help every student stay in school, stay out of trouble, and transition successfully into the workplace or college.
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Where are you located? 617 Castle Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 (in the Arts & Antiques District).
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How can I contact you? Call us at (910) 763-6001, or reach out through our Contact page.
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How long has Kids Making It been around? Kids Making It has been around since 1994. We have been located in our current location on Castle Street since 2015.
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What programming do you offer? We offer the following programming for kids aged 7 and up:
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How are you funded? The majority of our funding comes from public and private grants. We also receive funding from corporate and private donors and generate revenue through our custom orders Apprentice Shop.
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How many paid staff members work for Kids Making It? Kids Making It currently has 6 full time and 8 part time staff (not including apprentices).
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Are you currently hiring? Check out our Join our Team page to see current openings. You can also submit a resume for us to keep on file if you don’t see a job that interests you.
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Do you have volunteer opportunities? Yes! Please see our section on volunteering below for more information.
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Besides volunteering, how else can I help? Kids Making It has a lot of needs, and any help you can offer makes a real difference. Our greatest need is financial support — even a small donation helps keep the sawblades spinning! If you'd rather give in a different way, check out our ongoing wishlist, where you can purchase items directly for us — everything from wood glue and sandpaper to snacks and school supplies. And you don't have to open your wallet to help: spreading the word matters too. Tell a friend about us, share one of our social media posts, or just keep us in mind — every bit helps.
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Outreach Program – partnerships with local schools and nonprofits, generally serving ages 7–12 (with some sessions for older teens and adults).
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Afterschool Woodworking Program (ages 13–18) – woodworking, entrepreneurship, and life skills
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Skilled Trades Program (Part of the Afterschool Program) – advanced hands-on training for students who've progressed through the afterschool program (generally ages 16-18)
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Foundations of Success Program (part of the Afterschool Program) – tutoring, financial literacy, resume building, and career prep (for ages 13-18)
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Apprentice Program – for young adults 18+ seeking further vocational training and job readiness
Afterschool Woodworking Program
What is the Afterschool Woodworking Program? The After School Program is a program that teaches teens woodworking alongside entrepreneurial and life skills, in a supportive, mentor-driven environment. Students build confidence, learn a craft, and gain access to opportunities and resources that go well beyond the workshop.
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Is the Afterschool Woodworking Program free? Yes, it's a free program for eligible teens ages 13–18.
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What are the Afterschool Woodworking Program hours? During the school year, our program runs Monday–Friday, 4-6 PM​.
Is the program offered during the summer? Yes, our program is offered during the summer months. The times are Monday-Friday 3-5pm.
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Do you provide transportation? Yes, we have two vans that pick up from schools to bring students to our worskshop. During the summertime, transportation can often be arranged.
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Do students get paid for the items they make? Yes — students can keep or sell their work in our Castle Street gift shop, at festivals, and other events, earning 100% of the profit from anything they've made.
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What happens after a student masters the basics? Students who are ready to advance can join the Skilled Trades Program, where they learn core principles of trades like electrical, plumbing, and construction carpentry through larger, hands-on projects. For students who find a trade they want to pursue as a career, we help guide them toward licensure and certification.
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Is the program just woodworking, or does it offer other support? Beyond woodworking, our Foundations of Success track provides academic support and career-focused experience, including tutoring, financial literacy, resume building, guest speakers, and field trips. We also work closely with students, families, and school staff to support each student's overall growth.
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Is the Afterschool Program accepting new students right now? We are currently on a waitlist and not accepting new applications. For more information, please subscribe to our newsletter or email Laurie Wierse Laurie@KidsMakingIt.org.
Apprentice Program
What is the Apprentice Program? The Apprentice Program is a continuing pathway for young adults who have struggled to find meaningful employment and want additional training toward a viable career. It's a stepping stone where apprentices build vocational skills, learn job readiness and life skills, and work toward long-term career success.
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Who is the Apprentice Program for? It's designed for young adults who have had difficulty securing meaningful employment and are looking for hands-on training and support to build toward a career.
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Are the apprentices employees of Kids Making It? Yes, they are hired as part time employees.
What skills do apprentices learn? Apprentices learn to operate state-of-the-art machinery, including a laser engraver and CNC router, alongside broader vocational, job readiness, and life skills that prepare them for the workforce.
What do apprentices actually make? Apprentices create custom-designed products and bulk orders for individuals and businesses, as well as a signature line of custom turned pens and laser-engraved products.
Where does the revenue from apprentice-made products go? Revenue generated from apprentice-made products and orders goes toward supporting Kids Making It's free youth programs.
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How do I become an apprentice? Contact Rosa Galicia at rosa@kidsmakingit.org or call 910-763-6001 to learn more about becoming an apprentice.
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Can I place a custom or bulk order to be made by apprentices? Yes. Email orders@kidsmakingit.org to place a special order or inquire about custom or bulk products made through the Apprentice Program.
Outreach Program
What is the Kids Making It Outreach Program? The Outreach Program is a woodworking program that Kids Making It brings to partner agencies and community groups. It introduces participants to woodworking through hands-on workshops and events, held either at our Wilmington shop or offsite with a partner organization.
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What's the difference between Standard and Comprehensive outreach? Standard outreach is a one-time workshop or event. Comprehensive outreach spans 8 weeks or involves multiple scheduled sessions, giving participants a deeper, ongoing experience with woodworking.
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What ages does the Outreach Program serve? Outreach is designed for ages 7 and up. Our primary age group is 7 to 12 years old, but we also run outreach programs for teens and adults, so groups with a wider age range can still participate.
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Does it cost anything to bring the Outreach Program to our group? No. Like all of our programs, Outreach is provided at no cost to the partner agency or group.
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Who can request an Outreach event? We partner with local agencies and nonprofits to bring Outreach to the groups they serve. If you work with or run a community organization interested in a woodworking workshop or event, you can request one for your group.
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How do I schedule an Outreach workshop or event? Contact Matt Garcia at matt@kidsmakingit.org to learn more or set up a workshop or event for your group.
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Where does the Outreach Program take place? Outreach events can be held at our shop or hosted at a partner agency's location, depending on what works best for your group.
Volunteering
Do I need woodworking experience to volunteer? No! Being a woodworker is not a requirement. We have volunteer opportunities for all skill levels and interests.
What kinds of volunteer opportunities are available?
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Afterschool woodworking/mentoring (4PM-6PM during school year, 3PM-5PM during summer)
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Art Room assistance (4PM-6PM during school year, 3PM-5PM during summer)
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Skilled Trades mentoring (4PM-6PM during school year, 3PM-5PM during summer)
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Outreach events (times vary during the week)
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Apprentice Shop assistance
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Gift Shop assistance
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Cleaning & organizing
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Tool maintenance
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How often can I volunteer? As often as you like — it's entirely up to you. We will work with you to set up a schedule that fits with your schedule.
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Does volunteering happen on the weekend or just during the week? Currently the only volunteering that happens on the weekend is on Saturdays in the gift shop. The woodshop is not open on weekends.
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Why do you require a background check? All staff and volunteer must pass a background check for the safety of our students.
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Can I use volunteering here for court-ordered community service hours? Unfortunately, we're unable to accommodate court-ordered community service hours for those over 18 years old at this time.
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How do I sign up to volunteer? Fill out an application through our volunteer form, or email Matt Anlyan at matt.anlyan@kidsmakingit.org with questions.
Gift Shop & Custom Orders
What is the Gift Shop? Our Gift Shop on Castle Street sells items handmade by our students and apprentices — with proceeds supporting the students directly and supports our free youth programs (apprentice items).
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What are the Gift Shop hours? Monday–Friday, 11AM–5 PM, and Saturday, 11AM–4 PM.
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Can I place a custom or bulk order? Yes. Email orders@kidsmakingit.org to inquire about special or bulk orders, including our signature turned pens and laser-engraved products. You can also visit our Custom Orders page.
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Is there an online shop? Yes, visit shop.kidsmakingit.org. The online shop carries a handful of our apprentice-made items.
Donations & Other Support
Is Kids Making It a registered nonprofit? Yes, Kids Making It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 26-1606084), so donations are generally tax-deductible.
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How is my donation used? Donations support our free youth programs, including the After School Program, Apprentice Program, and Outreach, helping students build vocational, entrepreneurial, and life skills. Your support helps young people stay in school, stay out of trouble, and transition successfully into college or the workforce.
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How do I make a donation? You can give online through our secure donation form, linked from the Donate button on our website. Gifts of any size make a difference. Checks can also be mailed or dropped off at our gift shop on Castle Street.
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Can I set up a recurring or monthly donation? Yes, our online donation form allows you to set up recurring gifts in addition to one-time donations, so you can support our programs on an ongoing basis.
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Can I donate stocks, bonds, or mutual funds? Yes. Publicly-traded stocks, bonds, and mutual funds can be donated to Kids Making It through a stock transfer and a Stock Transfer Form. Contact us to learn more about this option.
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Can I make a gift in someone's honor or memory? Yes. You can make a gift to honor or remember someone special, and upon request, we'll send a gift acknowledgement letter to the honoree or their family.
Can I donate items instead of money? Yes. We accept in-kind donations of equipment, tools, wood, and services. We also maintain an ongoing wishlist of everyday items we need, from wood glue and sandpaper to snacks and school supplies, which you can purchase directly for us. Other ways you can support us:
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Volunteer your time
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Purchase items from our gift shop or online shop
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Place a custom order
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Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated
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Follow us on social media – Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Youtube. Also, like and share our posts to help us grow our reach.
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Help spread our mission through word of mouth
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Do businesses and foundations donate to Kids Making It? Yes. Since our inception, individuals, businesses, and charitable foundations have all played a role in supporting our work. Contact us to discuss corporate giving or foundation partnerships.
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Who do I contact with questions about donating? For general donation questions, in-kind gifts of equipment, tools, wood, or services, contact our gift shop (910) 763-6001.