What it Truly means to HELP- Essence Essential Hero Honoree Ray Nell Jones
Monique and Riley, joined by Ray Nell Jones, discuss the meaning and importance of helping your community.
Tonight our amazing and accomplished special guest is ESSENCE Essential Hero honoree, Philanthropist, Social Entrepreneur, and Mommy Influencer, Ray Nell Jones!
Featuring Special Guest, Ray Nell Jones
Ray Nell has created a safe haven for single mothers to find refuge, empowerment and community through her 501c3 award winning nonprofit, The Alignment Chapter based in Pittsburgh, PA. The organization’s mission is to help provide economical and emotional relief and resources for low-income single mothers and their children.
The nonprofit was launched in November 2019 and was inspired by Ray Nell’s personal journey of poverty and hardship of becoming a single mother at the age of 19 due to domestic violence and during her second year in college. As a single mother, she was compelled to do anything it took to take care of her family, which led to pursuing financial literacy and resourceful tactics, such as couponing. This led to acquiring thousands of stockpile items such as feminine hygienic supplies, diapers, soap, laundry detergent amongst many other necessities for her and her family. Due to building authentic relationships with other single mothers and realizing the power of vulnerability, community, and connection, Ray Nell used the stockpile units to help fill the needs around her and began to giveaway packages of the supplies to single mothers within her community. As the pandemic hit, her outreach and service expanded nationally amongst over 7,600 women, across 85 communities within 29 states. Ray Nell’s personal mission and goal is to continue to encourage all single mothers to “never lose faith” despite their circumstances and to never settle for less. Most recently, through her testimony, nonprofit, and public speaking, Ray Nell empowers the souls and rekindles the fires of women who have lost hope by strengthening communities, creating job opportunities, and helping single mothers dream again, rebuilding from the ground up and from inside out.
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