Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation

What Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation does

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation, Inc. (WJRF, also operating as "Wanda J") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in September 2018 in Frankfort, Kentucky, by Dale Robinson, a formerly incarcerated federal prisoner who named the organization after his late mother. The foundation serves children, youth, and families impacted by incarceration, operating against the backdrop of a Kentucky incarceration rate 40% above the national average and an estimated 374 children in Franklin County with an incarcerated parent at any given 30-day window. Its programmatic portfolio integrates prevention and intervention: weekly KRUSH social-emotional support groups (licensed curriculum from KRUSH LLC) are embedded in five Franklin County schools; the Amachi of Frankfort one-to-one mentoring program pairs more than 80 children with adult mentors; a high school outreach program serves 60 youth with weekly mentorship and life skills; and the Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship ($1,000, renewable up to three additional years) has been awarded to 24 seniors since 2019. Complementary programs include Second Thursdays caregiver support groups, Be Strong Families Parent Cafes, A Familiar Voice literacy recording at the Franklin County Regional Jail, video visitation coordination, extracurricular sponsorships, family fellowship events, KRUSH Camp, and biennial youth travel experiences (Washington DC in 2023, Atlanta in 2026).

WJRF has no proprietary technology platform and delivers services through direct human relationships. Its revenue model is fully philanthropic, combining federal and state grants (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, SAMHSA via Yes Arts, Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, state opioid funding through the Franklin County Health Department), foundation grants (United Way of the Bluegrass, Kentucky Social Welfare Foundation), corporate sponsorships (Lee Building Products, Humana, GTL, Chick-fil-A Frankfort), the Blue Grass Community Foundation GoodGiving Challenge, and individual donations via a $25/month sustainer program, $300/yr over five years or $1,200 one-time pledge, and event-based fundraisers (golf scramble, gala, painting and pizza nights). As of 2026 the organization operates with five staff members, all 100% grant-funded with no benefits, down from a peak of approximately six funded positions after the federal government pulled its OJJDP grant. Programs reach into 8 Kentucky counties and KRUSH educator training extends into 4 states; the foundation also announced in August 2024 a partnership with Boys & Girls Club of America to form the Boys & Girls Club of Frankfort.

Name

Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation

Legal name

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://wjrfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation is a Frankfort, Kentucky-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 that delivers mentoring, social-emotional curriculum (KRUSH), high school outreach, scholarships, and family support services to children, youth, and caregivers impacted by incarceration across eight Kentucky counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services for Youth Impacted by Incarceration

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring services
• Incarceration support programs
• Family social services
• Scholarship program funding
• Community nonprofit outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: 100% grant-funded organization. Primary funding sources include Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention grant, SAMHSA grant through Yes Arts, Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice grants, state opioid funding, and Franklin County Health Department awards. All staff positions funded through grants.
2. Individual Donations: Private donations from individuals for staffing, programs, and sustainer program. Monthly sustainer program at $25/month. Annual WJRF budget approximately $110,000.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including golf scramble ($80/person, $300/foursome), gala, painting and pizza nights, and community fundraisers. Proceeds benefit programming, scholarships, and youth activities.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors for events and ongoing support. First corporate sponsor Lee Building Products. Other sponsors include Humana, GTL, Chick-fil-A Frankfort, Multiply Church, and First Federal Savings Bank.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation delivers a portfolio of direct-service programs supporting children, youth, and families impacted by incarceration in Kentucky. Core offerings include Amachi one-to-one mentoring, the KRUSH K-12 social-emotional curriculum in schools, High School Outreach with life skills and college/career prep, the Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 renewable), caregiver support groups, A Familiar Voice jail literacy program, video visitation coordination, and extracurricular sponsorships. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries through school and correctional facility partnerships.

Product overview

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation operates as a unified nonprofit service organization rather than a technology product company. The foundation offers an integrated portfolio of programs serving children and youth impacted by parental incarceration. Core offerings include Amachi mentoring (one-to-one mentorship), KRUSH (K-12 social-emotional curriculum), High School Outreach, and the Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship. These programs are complemented by family support services including Parent Cafes, Second Thursdays caregiver support groups, A Familiar Voice literacy program, and video visitation coordination. The foundation also provides extracurricular sponsorships, experiential travel opportunities, and family fellowship events. Together, these programs create a comprehensive pathway of hope designed to disrupt generational cycles of incarceration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Amachi of Frankfort One-to-one mentoring program pairing children with incarcerated parents with consistent adult mentors for ongoing support and guidance.
• KRUSH (Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing) K-12 social and emotional curriculum small group program delivered in schools for students with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated family members.
• High School Outreach (HSO) Program Weekly mentorship program for high school youth impacted by incarceration, providing life skills classes, field trips, and college and career preparation.
• Adam Hyatt Memorial Scholarship Renewable $1,000 scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors impacted by incarceration, supporting college education.
• Second Thursdays Caregiver Support Group Monthly caregiver support group led by a licensed clinical social worker, providing peer support and resources for parents and caregivers of children impacted by incarceration.
• A Familiar Voice Literacy Program Monthly literacy program at Franklin County Regional Jail where incarcerated parents record themselves reading books to their children in partnership with Paul Sawyier Public Library.
• Extracurricular Sponsorships Financial support covering registration fees for WJRF children to participate in dance, karate, gymnastics, sports, and other positive activities.
• Video Visitation Coordination Coordinator-supported video visitation services helping families maintain weekly connections with incarcerated family members.
• Youth Travel Experiences Experiential learning trips including biennial travel opportunities such as Washington DC 2023 and Atlanta 2026 for youth cultural experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ youth served in Franklin County area
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boys & Girls Club of FrankfortcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Partnership with Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) announced August 2024. WJRF announces formation of Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Frankfort in partnership with BGCA.
• Yes ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022SAMHSA grant sub-award providing federal funding for two staffing positions: Director of Marketing (split with Just Say Yes program) and Data Analyst position to monitor Franklin County Youth Survey. Five-year prevention framework increasing protective factors for youth through programming alignment.
• KRUSH LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Licensing and partnership with KRUSH (Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing), K-12 social emotional curriculum for students impacted by incarceration. WJRF provides state-wide training of educators. Curriculum created by Kristi Whittaker and Jalina Wheeler.
• Blue Grass Community FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHost of annual GoodGiving Challenge providing platform for online donations. WJRF registered as recognized nonprofit in central Kentucky. Blue Grass Community Foundation matches half of donations during challenge week.
• Paul Sawyier Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for A Familiar Voice literacy program where prisoner/parents record themselves reading books to their children through library resources.
• Kentucky Youth AdvocatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlueprint Partner providing advocacy support and data on Kentucky children impacted by incarceration.
• Life Adventure CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing experiential field trips for youth served by WJRF programs.
• Franklin County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKRUSH groups implemented in Collins Lane Elementary, Hearn Elementary, Elkhorn Middle School, Franklin County High School, and Western Hills High School. WJRF embedded in school district programming.
• Capital Court AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner enabling elementary kids to participate in martial arts, dance, and gymnastics extracurricular activities.
• Fraternal Order of PoliceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting extracurricular activity participation for children of incarcerated parents.
• Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual admission workshops offered to WJRF high school students for college preparation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Club of America: National youth development organization operating after-school programs. WJRF has a formal partnership with BGCA to form a Frankfort chapter, making it both a peer and a partner organization; comparable youth-development and extracurricular programming mix.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., operating one-to-one mentoring programs nationwide. Comparable youth-mentoring model and target demographic (at-risk youth), though serving a broader population than just children impacted by incarceration.
• Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street in Communities): Produces educational content for children experiencing trauma, including the 'Incarceration' topic toolkit. Comparable as a producer of SEL/educational resources for children affected by parental incarceration, though at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• The Osborne Association: New York-based nonprofit serving children, families, and adults affected by incarceration through mentoring, visitation, and reentry services. Directly comparable mission, target population, and holistic family-centered service model.
• Youth Advocate Programs: National nonprofit providing community-based alternatives to incarceration for youth and families. Comparable wraparound service model targeting justice-impacted youth and families, with similar community-based case management approach.
• Amachi: National mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents, originally founded in conjunction with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Directly comparable to WJRF's Amachi of Frankfort one-to-one mentoring program serving the same population with a similar mentoring-based model.
• Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents: California-based nonprofit providing direct services, research, and advocacy for children and families of incarcerated parents. Directly comparable mission around children of incarcerated parents, with similar family-strengthening service model.

Emerging players

• National Fatherhood Initiative: National nonprofit focused on father-child engagement, including programs for incarcerated and returning fathers. Comparable mission around reentry and father-child connection, though operates more as a resource/training provider than direct service.

Others

• Coalition on Adult Basic Education (coalitions for children of incarcerated parents): Advocacy and resource networks focused on children of incarcerated parents. Adjacent to WJRF's mission and useful as a peer for benchmarking programming and policy engagement around the same population.

Regional players

• Shiloh (formerly Concord Prison Outreach): California-based nonprofit providing mentoring and family support for children with incarcerated parents. Comparable child-of-incarcerated-parent mentoring model, though operating in a different geography (California vs. Kentucky).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wjrfoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCj6PpT5ZTHKbI2Kjd_bGrfQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/WandaJoyceRobinsonFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/wjrfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wanda-joyce-robinson-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation