A Shared Vision
The Kaizen Foundation of North Carolina was founded in August 2021 from a shared vision between Kimberly Morrison-Hansley and Justin Howard.
Although we first met as former credit union professionals, our reconnection happened while both of us were in private practice for financial counseling and consulting. Through that renewed connection, it became clear that we shared the same belief: communities needed greater access to trusted financial education, practical tools, and real support systems that could help individuals create lasting change.
From the very beginning, we were intentional. We started by reaching out to people we trusted—professionals who shared our passion, believed in the need, and were committed to helping build something meaningful. Those early conversations led to the formation of our founding leadership team and original board members, whose support helped transform vision into structure.
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Participants in Our First Cohort
Our First Community Cohort
Our first major community partnership began with HopeMatch in Mint Hill, where we launched our first structured financial literacy cohort in Spring 2023. The pilot welcomed 7 participants and marked the beginning of Kaizen’s direct community education model.
The six-session series focused on practical financial foundations and included:
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Module 1: Setting Goals
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Module 2: Saving
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Module 3: Paying Bills
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Module 4: Getting Through the Month
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Module 5: Dealing with Debt
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Module 6: Understanding Credit
This first cohort not only delivered education, but also introduced our commitment to progress reporting, participant scoring, and measurable outcomes, which continue to shape how we evaluate success across our programs today.
What started as a simple idea has grown into a trusted nonprofit working alongside community agencies, partners, and local leaders to expand financial capability and economic opportunity across North Carolina.
At Kaizen, our story has always been about one principle: small, intentional improvements lead to lasting transformation.