Our Causes
WHAT WE FIGHT FOR
Breaking Barriers, Building Futures
The Hinson Family Foundation focuses on six key areas to address systemic challenges and create lasting change. Each vignette is aligned with these focus areas, highlighting the real-world barriers individuals and communities face.
WHAT WE FIGHT FOR
Creating Pathways to a Brighter Future
Focus Areas
Educational Empowerment
Increasing access to education and promoting pathways like GEDs and trade certifications to break cycles of poverty.
Focus Areas
Economic
Equity
Addressing funding disparities and supporting entrepreneurial efforts in underserved communities.
Focus Areas
Workforce Development
Enhancing access to stable employment through skills training and reintegration programs for justice-involved individuals.
Focus Areas
Mental Health Access
Expanding mental health care availability and reducing reliance on incarceration for mental health treatment.
Focus Areas
Rural Resilience
Tackling poverty, infrastructure gaps, and service access challenges in rural areas.
Focus Areas
Justice Pathways
Supporting individuals reentering society after incarceration by addressing barriers to housing, employment, and community reintegration.
VIGNETTES
Addressing Challenges, Empowering Change
Breaking the Cycle: Financial Barriers to Education
Problem Statement:
Financial stress forces many students to drop out of school, perpetuating cycles of poverty.
Vignette:
Students from low-income families face significant challenges completing their high school education due to financial stress. 10% of low-income students drop out, compared to only 1.6% of high-income students. Many are forced to work to support their families, sacrificing their education and future earning potential. Addressing these barriers is crucial to breaking cycles of poverty.
Mental Health Crisis: When Jails Become Hospitals
Problem Statement:
A lack of accessible mental health care leads to higher incarceration rates among underserved individuals.
Vignette:
In the absence of accessible mental health care, jails and prisons have become de facto treatment centers for individuals with mental illnesses. Approximately 37% of people in prisons and 44% in jails have been diagnosed with mental health disorders, highlighting the systemic failure to provide adequate care. This crisis disproportionately affects underserved communities, perpetuating cycles of incarceration and poverty.
Funding Gaps: Barriers to Business Success
Problem Statement:
Systemic barriers prevent low-income entrepreneurs from accessing critical business funding.
Vignette:
Small Business Administration (SBA) loans provide critical funding for entrepreneurs, yet systemic barriers limit access for low-income business owners. Businesses in low- and moderate-income areas receive disproportionately fewer small business loans. For example, in Washington, D.C., between 2014 and 2016, borrowers in upper-income areas received 42% of loans, while low- and moderate-income areas received only 19%. This disparity highlights the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in underserved communities and underscores the need for equitable funding practices.
Mental Health Crisis: When Jails Become Hospitals
Problem Statement:
Limited access to trade education and union membership perpetuates income inequality.
Vignette:
High school dropouts earn a median weekly wage of $721 (approximately $37,492 annually), while individuals with trade certifications earn $1,209 weekly, or $62,868 annually. Union members earn a median weekly wage of $1,263, about 16% more than nonunion workers. Trade certifications and union memberships offer pathways to financial stability, but access remains limited in underserved communities.
GED: A Key to Economic Opportunity
Problem Statement:
Earning a GED significantly increases income potential for individuals without a high school diploma.
Vignette:
Individuals without a high school diploma face substantial economic challenges, earning a median weekly wage of $682. However, those who obtain a GED or equivalent credential see their earnings increase to $853 per week—a 25% wage boost. This demonstrates that even completing a GED can be a crucial step toward financial stability and upward mobility.
Bridging Gaps in Rural Opportunity
Problem Statement:
Rural communities face higher poverty rates and limited access to resources.
Vignette:
In rural areas, 15.4% of residents live below the poverty line, compared to 11.9% in urban areas. Limited access to transportation, education, and healthcare exacerbates economic challenges, creating barriers to upward mobility. Addressing rural poverty requires targeted solutions that strengthen local infrastructure and resources.
Mental Health Deserts: Rural Communities in Need
Problem Statement:
A shortage of providers leaves rural residents without access to essential mental health care.
Vignette:
Rural residents face significant barriers to mental health care, including a shortage of providers and long travel distances. As a result, many forgo treatment, leading to worsened outcomes and higher rates of mental health crises. Expanding mental health services in rural areas is essential to improving community well-being.
Breaking Barriers to Employment
Problem Statement:
Economic insecurity persists when low-income workers can’t access stable jobs.
Vignette:
Low-income workers face significant hurdles to stable employment, including limited access to affordable childcare and reliable transportation. These challenges disproportionately affect women and minorities, perpetuating cycles of economic insecurity. Addressing these barriers can unlock opportunities for individuals and families to thrive.
Rebuilding Lives: Housing After Incarceration
Problem Statement:
Securing stable housing is a significant barrier for individuals reentering society after incarceration.
Vignette:
Formerly incarcerated individuals often struggle to find stable housing due to financial constraints and restrictive housing policies. In New York City, more than 54% of people released from prison moved directly into the city’s shelter system in 2017. This lack of stable housing increases the risk of recidivism and hampers successful reintegration into society.
Jobs After Jail: Breaking the Cycle
Problem Statement:
Formerly incarcerated individuals face unemployment rates five times higher than the general population.
Vignette:
Individuals reentering society after incarceration encounter significant barriers to employment, with an unemployment rate of 27%, nearly five times higher than the general population's 5.8%. This disparity is even more pronounced among women and people of color, exacerbating existing inequalities. Stable employment is crucial for successful reintegration and reducing recidivism.