Wyneshia Foxworth-Johnson Brings Two Decades of Experience to the Role; Board Leadership Transition Also Announced
APRIL 28, 2026, PHILADELPHIA, PA – Cradles to Crayons-Philadelphia® (C2C®) today announced the appointment of a new Executive Director, Wyneshia Foxworth-Johnson. Her first day will be Wednesday, April 29. Foxworth-Johnson succeeds former Executive Director Michal Smith, who recently retired after leading the organization for 15 years.
A Philadelphia native, Foxworth-Johnson has dedicated her entire career to advancing educational opportunities for students in under-resourced communities, from early education through high school and college. She brings more than two decades of professional experience to C2C, including key leadership positions at City Year, College Possible and Communities in Schools of Philadelphia.
“Wyneshia brings deep expertise and proven leadership to the Executive Director position, and we are excited for her to grow our reach for children and families across the region,” said Christine Morin, Chief Executive Officer of Cradles to Crayons. “Having seen her work firsthand at City Year, I know she brings the people leadership, drive for impact, and genuine commitment to the kids and communities we support.”
“Cradles to Crayons is proud to welcome a leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to children, families, and community impact,” said Chantee Angus, newly elected Chair of the Cradles to Crayons-Philadelphia Board of Directors. “Her passion for serving Philadelphians and experience in the nonprofit sector make her uniquely prepared to lead our organization into its next chapter.”
Foxworth-Johnson joins C2C at a pivotal moment, as the organization prepares to launch its five-year strategic plan to serve more children experiencing Clothing Insecurity, the lack of affordable, appropriate, adequate clothing across the Philadelphia region. C2C leads the effort to end Clothing Insecurity, as a national organization with locations in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Foxworth-Johnson first recognized the profound impact of Clothing Insecurity as a tutor in an inner-city elementary school early on in her career. A defining moment came on the first day of school, when a young kindergartener showed up with holes in his sneakers and an empty backpack.
“I remember this young man to this day,” Foxworth-Johnson said. “He couldn’t spell his name. He didn’t know his numbers. He couldn’t recognize letters. But not only that, he often came to school disheveled, not prepared with any resources. He was already walking in the door two steps behind the students in the classroom—and he was five. That’s when I knew that I had to really dig deep, and this has been my life’s work ever since.”
C2C provides new and gently used clothing and other essential items to children in low-income and homeless situations across Greater Philadelphia. C2C Philadelphia distributes an estimated 300,000 packages of essential items to children each year through a network of 145 service partners.
“We all talk about how it takes a village. In most instances, people think about the village as their immediate neighborhood, but we really interact with the village throughout the day,” Foxworth-Johnson continued. “Every one of us has a responsibility to make sure our kids are prepared to be a part of that village.”
And there are many ways to be part of that village.
Community members can support C2C’s mission by donating clothing at its East Falls Giving Factory and at 17 participating locations throughout Greater Philadelphia. Items can also be purchased through C2C’s Amazon Wish List, and monetary donations can be made online. You can also sign up for a volunteer shift in The Giving Factory Warehouse to help inspect, sort and package donations to be distributed to families.
Learn more about how you can support C2C at cradlestocrayons.org/philadelphia/.
New Leadership for C2C Board of Directors
C2C also announced a transition in board leadership. Effective April 1, Chantee Angus has been named Chair of the Board of Directors. Angus, Vice President of Gas Operations at PECO, oversees the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas to customers across the region, including system safety, engineering, operations and sustainability. Angus has served on the Board for three years.
She succeeds Deborah Cohen, retired General Counsel for Patina Health and longtime board member, who will remain an active member of the board.
