Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Children of the incarcerated are more likely to experience mental health issues; substance use disorder; trauma; live in poverty; dropout from high school; are vulnerable to abuse and neglect; and are more likely to become incarcerated themselves. These issues grossly impact our community, as well as the economy. Research indicates that the human potential loss due to the achievement gap in school is equal to a national recession. Our youth are not prepared for adulthood because children can not be educated when their most basic needs are not met. The data is shocking. Kentucky’s incarceration rate is more than double the national average. That number represents 15%, (145,000), of Kentucky children. The impact on our community is devastating. The WJRF board believes that as a community we are called to do something about it. While parental incarceration is a “shared sentence” in terms of its impact on children, it most certainly does not have to be a generational sentence.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Contact and Video Visitation, Franklin County Regional Jail Literacy Program
WJRF hosts contact visitations at the Franklin County Regional Jail. Dale Robinson meets with inmates pre and post visits to discuss the realities of being a parent behind bars. WJRF volunteers provide games, books and the opportunity to take a family picture. Pizza, drinks and dessert are provided by FCRJ and WJRF. WJRF also provides support to families to travel to state and federal facilities.
Through a partnership with Global Tel Link Corporation, WJRF is able to provide free video visitation to children and youth in 10 counties in Kentucky.
Named by a prisoner, A Familiar Voice is a literacy initiative that was established in 2019. Two board members facilitate the program, which is sponsored though Paul Sawyier Public Library. Prisoners record themselves reading a book to their child. The book, recording and a book mark are mailed to the child.
Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship
WJRF offers a $1000 scholarship to graduating seniors who are impacted by incarceration. To date, four students have received this scholarship.
Second Thursdays
Second Thursdays is a monthly support group for caregivers of children of the incarcerated, led by a licensed clinical social worker. WJRF volunteers provide child care and dinner for families. A local church provides transportation for families in need. This group meets monthly.
Family Fellowship
A quarterly event held in March, June, September, and December. Our families gather together for food and fellowship. Child and youth birthdays are celebrated. Over 400 individuals have attended our Family Fellowship events.
High School Outreach
WJRF provides college and career field trips, ACT prep classes, access to tutoring, job shadowing and life skills building opportunities. Dale and Taylor Robinson meet with groups of high school students monthly. Over 100 high school students were a part of this program in 2019.
Operation Making A Change
OMAC is a prevention and intervention program for youth at-risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system. WJRF contracts with OMAC founder Geo Gibson, to lead this program for local youth referred by the schools and court system.
Extra-Curricular Sponsorships
WJRF assists with the payment of extra-curricular activities for children and youth. During 2019, 54 youth were sponsored in an after school and/or summer activity.
KRUSH- Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing
KRUSH is a school-based weekly support group for student impacted by incarceration. It is a Kindergarten-12th grade curriculum that is aligned to state and national standards. WJRF paid for 39 Frankfort/Franklin County educators to attend KRUSH training. We provide $300 stipends to our local KRUSH groups. WJRF officially partnered with KRUSH LLC to provide training state-wide and beyond. As of August 2020, over 400 educators have been trained.
Amachi of Frankfort
Amachi is a national mentoring program specifically designed for children of the incarcerated. Our board member oversees the implementation of this program, under the guidance of the board and Amachi of Central KY. Children/youth are matched with a one one one mentor for a minimum of 12 months.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of youth receiving services (e.g., groups, skills and job training, etc.) with youths living in their community
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
KRUSH- Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of elementary and middle school age participants in Franklin County, Kentucky.
Number of youth who plan to attend post-secondary education
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The scholarship award for graduating high school seniors is renewable up to three additional years for awardees who meet academic requirements and continue to be involved with our organization.
Number of children served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of children and youth provided a direct service and/or actively participating in a program.
Number of youth programs offered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Programming began in 2019 and sustained through Covid. We are excited about the expansion of programs in 2022.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The ultimate goal of WJRF is to break the cycle of generational incarceration and to reduce the number of Kentucky children impacted by incarceration. Our mission is to serve children and youth impacted by incarceration and we accomplish that through our twelve operational programs that align with our core focus areas: (1) Educate; (2) Connect; and (3) Prevent.
Our goal to EDUCATE children and youth includes building social-emotional health and college/career exploration. Emotionally strong youth are prepared to pursue their life goals as young adults.
We CONNECT with families by providing a supportive environment for caregivers and fellowship among all- felon and law enforcement; parent and social worker; child and mentor.
We PREVENT by mentoring at-risk youth and by providing concrete support in times of need to our families.
Our identified goals for our third year of origination include:
(1) Secure grant funding to hire full time staff.
(2) Hire a social worker(s); an Amachi mentoring program coordinator; and a KRUSH program coordinator.
(3) Explore avenues of sustainable funding.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation is led by a 7 member board and 14 member advisory council comprised of professionals and representatives of the families we serve- They come from all walks of life and backgrounds to create a diverse and robust board of directors. Law enforcement and felon; successful business owner and school teacher; social worker and caretaker; volunteer and youth- all have a seat at the table, co-leading the direction of the Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation. We truly believe that together, we are powerful and unified in our mission.
The foundation partners with schools, community agencies, and other non-profits to provide resources and services to children and families. WJRF has the unique capacity to “fill in the gaps” that macro-level services unintentionally create. WJRF represents “family”, as in total community- felon, child/youth, law enforcement, correctional system, school, mental health, government, and business. Within this family, WJRF provides mentorship for both prisoner and child; support to parents and caregivers; and connection to COMMUNITY. We believe in a holistic approach to breaking the generational cycle of incarceration. This is achieved through the commitment and dedication of the foundation volunteers and board of directors.
As we enter 2022, our board is focused on the hiring of full-time staff; the evaluation of our current programming; assessing the needs of our families; and the continued development of best practices for our foundation. We have ad hoc board committees dedicated to working in these identified core areas. We also have "mentoring" relationships with the Kentucky Cabinet of Community Based Services and other peer organizations who guide and assist us as we move forward.
WJRF has formed strong partnerships with organizations and institutions throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. WJRF will continue to work with our partners to develop improved outreach to the Frankfort, Franklin County and surrounding communities. WJRF will continue to assess the needs of our families and community, as well as opportunities for betterment.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
One of Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation’s greatest strengths is our board. We are a diverse group of individuals composed of men and women of all socio-economic backgrounds, races, and sexual orientation. We are professionals in the career fields of law enforcement, social services, public and independent schools, mental health, juvenile justice, and courthouse personnel. Perhaps most importantly, we have representatives from the children and families we serve.
Our co-founder, Dale Robinson, is a former felon and parent, who can relate with the incarcerated fathers and mothers we encounter. This is an intangible asset when building relationships and trust among the families we serve. Dale is also a sought-after motivational speaker, who has gained a national platform, spotlighting WJRF.
We are embedded in our community. We have strong relationships with Franklin County Schools, Frankfort Independent Schools, Franklin County Department of Community Based Services; Frankfort Police Department; Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; and Franklin County Regional Jail.
Peer organizations including Franklin County Agency for Substance Abuse Treatment, YES Arts, The Pavilion Foundation, The Sunshine Center, Bluegrass Care Navigators, The Kings Center, and Amachi of Central Kentucky have provided ongoing support to us. Civic organizations including the Kiwanis Club and a variety of churches have reached out to us, hosting us as guest speakers for their programs and reciprocaly, have volunteered at our events. We have partnerships with Frankfort Martial Arts, Frankfort Parks and Recreation, Capital City Dance, and GEMCats to provide extracurricular activities for our children.
We have accounting software, Quickbooks Intuit, to manage our finances. We have a certified public accountant, Harrod and Associates, a bookkeeper, and board treasurer. We utilize the Greater Giving software for our auction sales. We have a finance committee and board approved policies to oversee our financial assets.
Through a partnership with the University of Kentucky, we host social work student interns in our organization. Currently, one intern is aligning our high school outreach program to positive youth development strategies through the assistance of a youth leadership team, (youth who are served by our organization). A second intern is conducting research on video visitation and how this practice is strengthening families served by our organization.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2019, our data was incredible. 285+ children and youth served; a wide range of programming that included numerous community partnerships; the launch of a state-wide training for educators; and capacity building with our Americorps VISTA are just a few of the many highlights.
During 2020, despite Covid, our board continued to meet virtually each month. We established additional resources and partnerships with a mental health provider and Kentucky State University. The board participated in a strategic planning process and approved our first plan, in October.
We envision the Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation as a premiere non-profit serving thousands of children and youth throughout Kentucky and beyond. Our organization is currently administered under the commitment of our board, volunteers, and five contract staff. Our vision is to secure sustainable funding to be able hire full time staff. Our board is actively writing grants, developing corporate sponsorships, and maintains annual fundraising efforts.
Our mission to serve children and youth impacted by incarceration is pure and steadfast. We are willing to do whatever it takes to break the cycle of generational incarceration and to provide a path of hope and a vision of a successful future for the families we serve.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Children and youth who have or have had an incarcerated parent; caregivers of children and youth; justice involved parents
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We completed end of year youth, parent/guardian, and group leader surveys for our KRUSH Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing program. Group leaders suggested an easier method to access financial resources for their school based groups. Rather than funding going to the school system, group leaders preferred to access directly from our organization, so that the process could be more efficient. This change has been made for the new school year.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation
Board of directorsas of 07/22/2022
Amy Snow
Whitney Jennels
Amy Snow
Co-Founder, Franklin County Schools
Kim Beers
Franklin County Schools
Rebecca Redding
Kentucky Monthly Magazine
Margaret O'Donnell
Attorney at Law
Whitney Jennels
Parent/Caregiver Representative
Meagan Morrow
Franklin Count Schools
Dale Robinson
Co-Founder, GURU Gym
Maria Pearl
EveryDay Matters, LLC
Kalissa Yates
Kentucky State University
Dustin Bowman
Frankfort Police Department
Bailey Slucher
Paul Sawyier Public Library
Gregg Muravchick
law enforcement
Kevin Hocker
Department of Juvenile Justice
Debbie Moore
Franklin County Schools
Krystal Conway-Cunningham
Frankfort Independent Schools
Tisa Conway-Cunningham
Frankfort Independent Schools
Shelley Hearn
Social Worker
Taylor Robinson
Issa Wright
Administrative Office of the Courts
Wil Rhodes
Kings Center Representative
Jonathan Scott
Ashley Mulder
Franklin County Regional Jail
LaQuida Smith
Kentucky State University
Dinah Walker
Self Care Solutions
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/22/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.