Today we’d like to introduce you to Jameliah Blount.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After experiencing a life-changing divorce and beginning to rebuild while raising two young sons. I was doing some research to find support for my children. Specifically to keep them involved in the extracurricular activities that they were used to. My hope was to limit the effects of our divorce as much as possible on the children.
While searching I realized that there were programs for rental assistance, utility support, and food access but nothing to support the children. This stayed with me and I decided to create a solution to this problem in that of Holistically Empowered Youth, Inc. Who’s mission is to provide supportive resources & services to families and community nonprofit partners in need through holistic programs, partnerships, and access to our redistribution warehouse.
We have now expanded into running a full warehouse where we can also provide the basic need items that so many families are in need of. This work has been fulfilling and the fact that my boys get to see it first hand has been great.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing about this road has been smooth. To begin I was a single active working mother. It was important that I spent as much time with my children as possible but I was also working full time and building a business. Starting out I spent a lot of time educating the community as to what we do and how important the work was.
As you can imagine that didn’t bring about a lot of financial support early on. For years, I self-funded H.E.Y. As time passed and community support grew we were able to build a connection with Good360 allowing us access to the basic need items that we could add to the support we were already providing the community.
This increase in resources than required we have the space and capacity to store and transport. So I learned about warehousing, large capacity transporting and the amount of funding it would take to maintain a warehouse. Today, I find myself always learning and striving to grow into the mother, leader, and community resource that is needed.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do a few things. I am the founder of an Accounting Firm called JKB Account Solutions. I am also the Founder & Executive Director of Holistically Empowered Youth, Inc. also known as H.E.Y. HUB. Both roles have very different meanings to me. The accounting firm is something that I have always had a love for going back to my freshman year of college at Stevenson University.
Spending most of my corporate experience in the accounting and finance industry. When I chose to leave to become more available for H.E.Y. HUB and my boys I thought I was leaving that portion of my life behind. To my surprise that passion has been what has financially supported my dream all these years. I am grateful that I get to love and do both every day. If I had to pick and say what I was most proud of it would be choosing me and following my dreams.
So many times as wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters we put everyone else’s needs ahead of ours. I knew that with both of my businesses early on I would have to sacrifice to make them successful. I believe that every sacrifice was worth it and I have been right so far. I believe what sets me apart from others is my faith and work ethic. I dream a lot but I am also prepared to work hard to make them come true.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I like the diversity of our city. There are so many great people doing amazing things.
It is also nice that we live in a part of the country that allows us to be near so many different experiences. Close enough to go to the beach and sit on the water while also having access to rural and snow-filled areas as well. What I least like about our city is the lack of some individual’s ability to see the potential and maximize it.
We have all the pieces to be the best. We are just lacking the visionaries to put all the pieces together for the benefit of everyone in the state.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@heyyouthinc.org
- Website: www.heyyouthinc.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hey_youth_inc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/heyyouthinc
