In Memphis, where nearly one in five residents lives below the federal poverty line, a powerful collaboration is changing lives. Driving The Dream™ (DTD), a United Way of the Mid-South (UWMS) initiative, is on a mission to eradicate generational poverty through education, healthcare access, job placement, financial management and mental health support.
Launched softly in 2016 and fully established by 2018, DTD was the brainchild of Dr. Kenneth Robinson. Early champions, including First Horizon, Urban Child Institute, Assisi Foundation and other community leaders, helped bring it to life. Today, the organization partners with more than 100 community agencies across eight counties to create a seamless network of wraparound services. Other local companies that are involved include Church Health, Regions Bank Foundation, Porter Leath and Truist. As UWMS Director of Marketing and Communications Carolyn McCormick explains, “The heart of Driving The Dream is collective impact. One call, and you are connected to the help you need.”
That help comes in many forms. From rent assistance to affordable childcare, from free tax preparation to financial literacy coaching, families gain tools to build stability and independence. A striking example: in recent years, UWMS, along with assistance from DTD, helped file over 10,000 tax returns, bringing $11 million in refunds back to Memphis households—an average of $1,600 per family, nearly 20% of the average annual income for those served.
The stories behind the statistics are equally moving. Bruce Hopkins, a longtime banking executive with First Horizon and DTD advisory committee member, recalls a mother who was working two jobs while raising children in a van. With DTD’s help, she secured housing and began a new chapter of stability. “This organization has been a gift to me,” Hopkins reflects. “It’s making a tremendous impact on our city.”
DTD also fosters unique partnerships to address community needs. For example, when local businesswoman Neely Woodson Powell, founder and CEO of Charleston Shoe Company, decided to close her children’s shoe line, she donated 4,500 pairs to DTD. The organization, with help from community partners, distributed them at MLK Prep in Frayser—along with clothing and other essentials—just in time for Christmas.
At the helm today is UWMS CEO Tomeka Hart Wigginton, who believes Memphis’s generosity is its greatest strength. “This is a remarkably generous community,” she says. “We can solve problems when we work collaboratively. Driving The Dream helps families tackle what seem like overwhelming problems and provides support every step of the way.”
She points out that many DTD families fall into the ALICE category—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are individuals who work hard yet live paycheck to paycheck, vulnerable to crises like car trouble or late rent. “One bit of bad luck can send a family into a financial spiral,” Hart Wigginton explains. “But through DTD, a single call, visit or online request can connect them to everything they need.”
For Memphis, Driving The Dream™ is more than a program—it’s a promise. A promise that with collaboration, compassion and commitment, a brighter future is within reach for every family.