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 27 member board 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 2021, 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 do not envision brick and mortar costs. Our office space is in The Kings Center. We use multiple community and business meeting areas to meet with our children and families. We have 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.

Our Innovative Mentoring Solutions software allows us to keep a database of all the children and families we serve. We are able to run reports and see data on our kids. We are able to keep case notes. We can also communicate directly through a text messaging system as well as email through our software.

Many of our board members and volunteers have a personal connection to our cause. Our mental health representative is 27 years sober and was an incarcerated mother. A social worker oversees our Amachi mentoring program. A masters level social worker is our direct contact to families, when children and youth are referred. A licensed clinical counselor leads our monthly caregiver support group. We truly believe we have the "right people" guiding the direction of WJRF.

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. We anticipate securing grant funding for staff positions in 2021. Our vision is to hire a full time social worker(s), an Amachi program coordinator, and a KRUSH program coordinator. Our Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship committee is currently exploring ways to further develop the support we provide to our young adults. Our partnership with KRUSH, LLC, encompasses training for educators, nationally.

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.