Overview of the The Joiner Foundation, Inc.

​The Joiner Foundation (TJF) was started by Jhazzmyn Joiner. Her grandmother, Inez Joiner, was onboard from the very beginning to be a part of this family organization. It was founded on January 4, 2017, and was launched on January 17, 2017. The foundation's motto was "helping as many people as humanly possible through scholarship and service." Two book scholarships were offered, and the organization hosted several events throughout the year, such as an Earth Day clean-up in Atlanta and getting gifts for elders or children of incarcerated people during the holidays. The first project was the Adolphus Dixon Book Scholarship, which was offered once a year to a high school senior going to college. The foundation was all about persevering and making the world a better place one step at a time. The end goal was to help the foundation and community thrive. The foundation came to an end in December of 2024 and donated the last of its funds to L'Arche Atlanta, an organization that works with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and assists them with living in community with one another.

Caterpillar's Promise has sponsored TJF before. In addition, these donors gave $50+ or multiple donations: Armand R., Amelia S., Monet S., Reana T., Mikalah T., and Leonard G.

All funds went towards projects and scholarships.

The foundation offered two scholarships, the Adolphus Dixon (A.D.) Book Scholarship for high school seniors entering college and the Hattie Watson (H.W.) Book Scholarship for college students. These scholarships were both worth $250 and were designed to help students purchase books and eliminate some of the financial barriers that come with being a college student. View past recipients here.

The Joiners launched the foundation with a book scholarship for high school seniors going to college. It was named after Inez Joiner's late father, Adolphus Dixon. Some of his funds were going into the scholarship, plus he was an incredible man, so it made sense to name it after him.

He was born in a small village known as Brooklyn, Illinois. Adolphus was a hardworking man who held a variety of jobs, such as a school janitor, packinghouse worker, and bartender. He was well ahead of his time, as he was a single parent to his young daughter. Inez often saw her father as a without a job, but never without a sense of hope. He told his daughter that hard work and education were the keys to getting out of poverty. He inspired her. No matter how tired he was, he listened to her read EVERY NIGHT, even on weekends. His philosophy was “if you’re going to succeed, continue until the goal is accomplished." 

He was at Inez’s school for every function that he could attend. Her father continued to help her finish school and select a college. Inez graduated four years later from Delta State College in Cleveland, Mississippi. Adolphus journeyed from Illinois to see his daughter receive her degree. Unfortunately, Adophus was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and his sunset came on June 28, 1988. He is gone but never forgotten. We were pleased to offer this scholarship in his name and honor.

Barack Obama once said, “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” This quote embodies everything that Hattie Ewing Watson stood for. Hattie was born in the state of Mississippi in 1915. As a baby, she was brought to a tiny village called Brooklyn, Illinois. Hattie grew up in hard times, with a goal to help everyone that she could. She achieved this goal, as she was the person that people in Brooklyn called on for whatever they needed. They may not have always gotten what they wanted, but she still tried to be a resource to others, providing her time, energy and, in some cases, finances. She never had children of her own but was a mother to her six siblings. Hattie finished high school and became a bookkeeper at the Harlem Club. For all of these reasons and more, The Joiners were extremely pleased to offer the second book scholarship, exclusively for college students, in order to help as many people as humanly possible in her name.

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