Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation

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.

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.

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.

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.