our mission

is to create and invest in relationships that strengthen the lives of children, youth and families impacted by incarceration.

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation, Inc. is an independent, non-partisan 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that fosters partnerships aimed at healing and unifying our community. We welcome a diversity of ideas and experiences in our search for equitable and inclusive solutions to address the impact of parental incarceration on children and youth.

The Foundation is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive community by recognizing, respecting, and celebrating individual differences and commonalities in our board members, families, volunteers, and community partners.

We have equipped ourselves with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist that aids in creating a holistic learning environment that prepares our board members, families, volunteers, and community partners to be invested, educated, and accountable citizens for our local and global communities. We believe in protecting the rights of all board members, families, volunteers, and community partners regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, age, sexual and gender orientation, geographical origin/background, or religious beliefs.

We acknowledge the need to learn from those who are different and to grow from varying experiences as they have the impact to influence our own beliefs. Our goal is to provide diverse, equitable, and inclusive opportunities for all board members, families, volunteers, and community partners through quality workshops and trainings.

Core Values

Heart

We do our best work when we do it with a strong sense of purpose and a passion for a better world. Even when we’re doing hard things, we can find love and joy in unexpected places and understand the essential role hope plays in our work.

Centricity

We center the voices, priorities and wellbeing of the youth and families we work with in every decision we make and every action we take.

Joy

We believe every young person deserves to have joy in their life. We create opportunities to be a kid and have fun every day, recognizing that joy is the key that unlocks positive youth development and brighter futures.

Empowerment

We believe in the potential of young people and choose to invest in them as the key to a brighter future for our community and our world.

OUR HISTORY

Established in 2018, the Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation (WJRF) is the vision of a formerly justice-involved father to support and mentor children of the incarcerated.

The Frankfort, Kentucky nonprofit is composed of a diverse group of staff, community partners, and families. In 2022, WJRF was a sub-recipient of an Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention grant funding on behalf of the Franklin County Fiscal Court. This award provided financial resources for the first full-time staffing positions within the organization. In 2023, WJRF was the subrecipient of a SAMHSA grant, in partnership with two community agencies to provide prevention framework for Franklin County.

Kentucky’s state incarceration rate is more than double the national average and leads the nation in the number of children living with relatives. Kentucky also has the second highest female incarceration rate in the country. Children of incarcerated parents are more likely to experience physical and emotional abuse, addiction, poverty and to drop out from high school; they are more likely to become justice involved themselves. A lack of positive relationships
and opportunities has an immense impact, not only on individual families, but also on the long term, generational community wellbeing and economic development. Without effective interventions for children and youth impacted by incarceration, our communities will be negatively impacted for generations.

WJRF has the unique capacity to “fill in the gaps” that macro-level social services unintentionally create. WJRF unites the parent, child/youth, law enforcement, the correctional system, schools, mental health providers, government, and business to create a family network. Within this family, WJRF provides mentorship programs for both the incarcerated parent and child; support services for non-incarcerated parents and caregivers; training for educators; and opportunities for relationship building to wider community networks.

WJRF leaders have decades of experience working with at-risk populations in social services, juvenile justice, psychology, and the public school system. To date, the Foundation is guided by the leadership of a board of directors, finance committee, advisory council, and youth, parent and caregiver representatives. WJRF has a strategic plan in place to address the needs of the more than 800 children impacted in Franklin County. Core values of the organization include Heart, Centricity, Joy and Empowerment.

OUR WHY...

Fifteen percent of Kentucky children (145,000) have had an incarcerated parent - twice the national average and the highest percentage in the nation!

in loving memory of wanda joyce robinson

The Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation epitomizes a mother’s unconditional love and hope for her children…that along life’s journey, our sons and daughters learn to love, forgive, believe and overcome. We honor the late Wanda Joyce Robinson in our mission to serve children and youth impacted by incarceration.

Dale Robinson is a former justice-involved individual who has become a successful business owner. He is the father of two sons—Dalevon and Wan’Dale Robinson—and one daughter, Eliza, and the husband of Taylor Robinson. The foundation is named after his late mother.