EPIC - Every Person Influences Children, Inc. is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping families, schools, and communities raise children to become responsible and capable adults. EPIC supports the people who have the most influence on children by providing evidence-based programs for parents, a character education curriculum for families and schools, and training for schools and agencies.
EPIC was founded out of a tragedy experienced by founder Robert Wilson. In 1977, his wife was murdered by a 15-year-old neighbor, a foster child they had befriended. Investigation of the child's life indicated that he had been abused, neglected, and placed in 11 different foster homes. He had not experienced love; he only knew anger and violence. While it was too late to change what had happened to his wife, Wilson felt that it was not too late for others.
In 1980 he established EPIC in Buffalo, New York with a vision of preventing tragedies like his. EPIC's programs have now been replicated in hundreds of locations throughout New York state and in 16 other states. EPIC workshops and trainings carry out Robert Wilson's mission by involving the entire community in helping children make responsible decisions, understand and respect authority, develop positive self-esteem, plan for the future, and succeed in life.