Despite having to walk through the rain to get to my destination, I was thrilled to finally meet the president of “Journey To Your Promise Land”, Kim Hinton.  For those of you who are not familiar with JTYPL, the Maryland based, nonprofit organization’s model is, to address global poverty with an integrated approach that combines advocacy efforts, which help eliminate conditions that allow poverty.  “We want to create a comprehensive strategy that will empower woman and youth to overcome existing obstacles, and take the journey to their promised land!”  From Kim’s opening response, I noticed her confidence immediately. 

Kim Hinton, 41, wife of Kevin Hinton, and mother of two, is a fourth generation Washingtonian who grew up in the tough community of Anacostia (Southeast Washington DC) with her mother and older sister. When asked about her childhood, Kim responded, “Our mother insisted on enrolling us in the best public schools in the Washington DC area – which were not in our neighborhood.  I attended public schools on Capitol Hill, Georgetown, and the Tenleytown area.  For us, it didn’t matter that we had to travel hours to get to school, nor did it make us feel like we were any different.  It was our life and our reality, we didn’t look at it as a hindrance.”

As I circled Kim’s office, it was brought to my attention that she has a bachelor degree in organizational management from Columbia Union College (which is now Washington Adventist University) and a master of business administration degree, with a concentration in Finance, from Trinity University Washington.  With my love of social entrepreneurship, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Kim has spent most of career working in the nonprofit arena in areas such as scheduling, membership development, grant management, program development, youth development, training, and strategic planning.  “I want to build a company where our name is synonymous with excellence, trustworthiness and passionate. All has to start at the top – starting with me. That’s how I live my life, successful or not.” she replied.

Following our brief stint together, I decided to remove myself from the originally scripted interview questions, and to find out what inspired her to create JTYPL.  With a down to earth smile, Kim responded, “I took a sabbatical and became an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, working in an at-risk community in Washington DC.  I spent a year living in poverty (as a volunteer you don’t get a salary – just a stipend equal to the poverty level in that community) working with the community on a day-to-day basis.  My role was to help the residents obtain housing, employment, food, education, and so on, through strategic partnerships, empowering residents, and designing programs.  What I learned is that it is not as easy to just get a job, or pull yourself up from your bootstraps.  It is much harder if you are not given the right resources. With the right resources and right kind of support, people can overcome obstacles and take the journey towards their destiny.”

Looking at the logo on the business card, I had to ask what the tree symbol was all about.  Kim informed me that the oak tree is a symbol of courage and strength. “Throughout your journey in life you will need courage to overcome your fears and strength to deal with the pressures of change. Once you prune off the dead areas and re-shift your life, you will start your journey towards your destiny.  JTYPL is here to support women and youth as they take the journey.”

Kim and JTYPL are currently working with 1up Entertainment Consulting to promote a national “Stop The Abuse” campaign.  Kim makes it known that she is partnering with individuals and organizations to help spread the word about domestic violence among youth. The goal of the campaign is for young people, ages 12-24, to talk about abuse, using self-expression and the arts.  Her board and staff are working to build the organizations brand.  Kim hopes to create a buzz about JTYPL’s mission, and get people to learn more about global poverty.  While shaking her head, Kim stated, “I think people look at poverty and see skinny kids with a huge stomach.  That is the extreme level of poverty.  What people don’t understand is that the 46 million Americans are living in poverty.  Because of the economy, the poverty level increased not decreased - where people are earning less and the costs of basic needs are increasing.  These numbers are staggering!  The statistics and research goes deep.  The direction of JTYPL is education!  Educating people about poverty, educating people on how to overcome poverty, and educating people on how to take control of their lives, so that they can reach their destiny.”

JTYPL’s stop the abuse campaign focuses on bringing domestic violence awareness to women, men, teenagers and young adults using arts.  The organizations international programs build on existing grassroots systems, where the focus is on practical solutions that empower and educate women, which leads to the reduction of poverty.  Kim mentioned that they currently have a presence in Nigeria, and that her programs are based around family strengthening, advocacy, educational training conferences, and educational scholarships.

· Capital Chippers Scholarship Fund for Youth

· Mini Grants for Women for Entrepreneurship Purposes

At the end of my interview with Kim, it was clear that she wanted me to inform my readers that she is in need of professional volunteers to serve as mentors and life coaches.  She is also in need of donations.  Those who are interested in becoming a mentor for JTYPL should email info@jtypl.org for additional information. Anyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of women and youth can donate or pledge a donation. JTYPL is a 501©3 tax-exempt organization and all donations are 100% tax deductible.  You can also follow JTYPL on facebook at, www.facebook.com/jtyplinc, or follow the organization on twitter at, www.twitter.com/jtypl.