Heart of America (HOA), a new Independent Sector member, works with communities and partners across America to increase equity in education. In November during National Native American Heritage Month, Heart of America President and CEO Jill Hardy Heath discussed the organization’s work with Indigenous communities and their larger national efforts to transform learning spaces, bridge the resource gap, and strengthen communities to give all students room to learn, discover, and thrive.
Jill Hardy Heath
Q: Heart of America has been an organization for more than 27 years, and we are pleased that you recently joined Independent Sector. Tell us about your work.
JH: Heart of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that transforms learning spaces and helps bridge resource gaps. We believe that by connecting everything in a young person’s ecosystem, we can work to find the right solution to a community’s educational challenges. We learn the need, assess the challenges, and activate partners to transform each space, sometimes in just one day. We’re all about efficiency and efficacy! Over the past 27+ years, we’ve worked toward education equity by renovating almost 1,100 spaces in classrooms, libraries, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) labs, college/career centers, school gymnasiums and community centers, and more. We have provided current resources, including over 4.4 million books, and infused over $9.5 million in technology into underserved communities across the country, in Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Q: Your work focuses on the whole student, knowing that physical spaces where young people learn are as important as what they learn. Why is the physical space just as important?
Often referred to as the “third teacher,” the physical space where kids learn should inspire curiosity and imagination, which lay the groundwork for critical thinking skills as they grow into adults. This concept is fundamental to our space transformation work! We factor color, for example, as one of the most powerful parts of a well-designed space. Using colors that relate to the students inspires learning, calms where needed, and can capture the pride of the school. Color, in addition to a well-designed space, strategic placement of furniture, equipment, and technology are incredibly important in helping students actively participate in learning! Let’s face it: it’s one less barrier to learning if you feel at home and safe in the space.
Q: How does Heart of America work to address these challenges by transforming learning spaces and helping bridge resource gaps?
We know that an excellent education isn’t always available to students, whether they’re in Indigenous, urban, or rural communities. Administrators and educators are pushed to the limit with too few resources. Equal access to books and up-to-date technology is disproportionate to students of color. There is a multi-billion-dollar shortfall in school funding. Simply put, too many things stand in the way of success.
We tackle these challenges head-on with a process that centers the student’s time at school, home, and community. Additionally, we focus on designing spaces that spark curiosity because kids are inherently dreamers, and young minds need spaces that nurture their imaginations! To do this well, and it may sound overly simplified, one of the most impactful things we do is ask questions. Letting stakeholders know that we truly care helps build strong relationships that help combat all the things that work against a child getting a good education. We couldn’t co-create solutions and make the impact that we do without these relationships.
Q: Tell us more about how your work encompasses space transformations, resource distributions, and consulting.
Sure! Most of our projects focus on reimagining outdated and underused learning spaces, such as STEAM labs and libraries in public schools, community centers, and nonprofits in rural, urban, and Indigenous communities. We have in-house design, procurement, and innovation [construction management] teams, held together with a crew of fantastic project managers who work with the community to develop a design and plan for a particular space. We typically partner with corporations and civic partners on these transformation projects to bring in supplemental funds and support, culminating in a volunteer event with anywhere from 10 to 1,000 volunteers working together to finish the space. I must admit, these are some of my favorite moments at HOA — the energy of so many people coming together to make a space come to life is incredible!
Since 1997, we have proudly distributed millions of school supplies to students in need. Access to high-quality school supplies is essential for students to thrive in the classroom and beyond. As the educational landscape evolves, these resources become increasingly crucial, especially when students continue their learning at home. Our efforts go beyond just providing supplies. We also bring electricity to students’ homes to enhance their learning experiences. Moreover, we have delivered over 4.4 million books to children, with a significant portion showcasing cultural diversity — a fact that fills me with immense pride. Together, we are empowering the future generation to succeed!
Our consulting services are great when a fresh perspective is needed and if the project may not have an independent funder, or a full-scale engagement with our team isn’t required. It’s a fee-for-service model that brings in key people from our team to help partners capture new possibilities.
Q: We observed Native American Heritage Month in November. How is your organization partnering with Indigenous communities to address educational equity?
For a variety of unjust reasons, the Navajo Nation and other Indigenous communities have been historically under-resourced, creating significant disparity and challenges despite their vibrant and resilient culture. As a result, many communities have limited access to what many take for granted, including education materials and reliable electricity. We began our work with the Navajo Nation during COVID-19 when schools were closed. In response, we collaborated with partners to fund, pack, and deliver bags filled with school supplies and personal protective equipment. While delivering these bags, we learned about the innovative steps the school districts were taking to help students continue learning at home. However, with one-third of the homes lacking electricity (14,000+), we recognized there was a significant barrier to these
important efforts. As an organization committed to removing barriers to education, we connected with local contacts to gather more information and develop a collaborative plan.
This led to the creation of the Skip the Grid initiative — a partnership aimed at providing stable access to electricity and educational resources for students’ homes, as well as bringing our other programs to the community. To date, we have transformed three school spaces, installed power in 247 homes, and provided culturally relevant books and school supplies to hundreds of students. We’re also scaling up our efforts to bring even more opportunities in 2025 and beyond. Just like with our other programs — students, regardless of where they live — should have access to the tools they need to succeed. We are honored to walk alongside Indigenous communities to ensure education equity in innovative and engaging ways.
Q: What is the Halamandaris Award, which Heart of America gives out each year to one outstanding school or community site?
Heart of America founders Bill and Angie Halamandaris launched the organization in 1997 with a mission to inspire service and volunteerism in youth through the Heart of America Ambassador Program. As these youth ambassadors visited schools, they were shocked that not all schools looked, felt, or were resourced the same. This is when we, as an organization, began distributing school supplies and books. To further support schools whose libraries lacked books and inspiration, the School Library Makeover Program was created. What began with inner city library upgrades has evolved into a movement, with HOA now completing almost 100+ transformation projects yearly!
Established in 2018, the Halamandaris Award is named after Bill and Angie in recognition of them as outstanding leaders, innovative founders, and agents for good. From installing cutting-edge STEAM technology to transforming concrete spaces into vibrant, green landscapes, their vision continues to inspire and impact communities across the country.
Q: Independent Sector envisions a charitable sector that is healthy, trusted, and equitable and that helps all people in the United States thrive in a vibrant civil society and just democracy. How will becoming an IS member help you advance your mission and work?
Forging strong partnerships is inherent to who we are. Having Independent Sector in our sphere helps create opportunities for us to reach new organizations and people with which our mission will resonate. You connect changemakers; we see the magic of bringing people together daily in our work. Your policy leadership will help us gain even more momentum in driving equitable change for students. We are so excited to be a part of your membership!
Let me add the last few months have been challenging for most people. Here’s what we know for sure: Education equity is nonpartisan and a basic right, and we’ll never stop fighting for it. Every young learner is filled with boundless possibilities, and we will continue to break barriers to bring them the best learning experiences possible. We’re excited to be a part of Independent Sector’s community because, in times like these, relationships matter more than ever.
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