ForKids and ODU Help Families Build New Opportunities

What if entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting a business?

That’s the question driving a growing partnership between Old Dominion University’s Hudgins Transitional Entrepreneurship (HTEL) Lab and ForKids. Together, the organizations are helping participants explore entrepreneurship as a pathway to greater financial stability and economic mobility.

As housing costs continue to rise, many ForKids participants express interest in starting small businesses or side hustles to supplement their income. Through workshops, coaching and mentorship, HTEL helps participants develop skills that extend far beyond business ownership.

“For us, entrepreneurship is a way of thinking,” said Jay O’Toole, PhD, Co-Director of HTEL and Associate Professor of Management at ODU. “Problem-solving, critical thinking and learning how to move an idea forward are valuable skills whether you’re building a company, pursuing a career or creating additional income for your family.”

Over the past year, HTEL faculty have led entrepreneurship workshops for ForKids participants, covering topics such as business planning, marketing and pitching ideas. This spring, the partnership expanded into a multi-session workshop series that culminated with participants presenting their business concepts on ODU’s campus.

The results were inspiring.

“Many of our participants are looking for ways to increase their income and create greater stability for their families,” said Jessica Milloy, Senior Director of Shelter and Housing. “This partnership gives them practical tools, encouragement and a chance to see themselves as entrepreneurs. It’s incredible to watch participants light up as they share their ideas and begin turning them into reality.”

For Dr. O’Toole, the partnership is deeply personal. Before joining ODU, he served as a Teach For America corps member in rural Mississippi, where he witnessed firsthand how housing instability can affect educational and economic opportunities.

“Transitioning from homelessness to stable housing is complex,” he said. “Entrepreneurship can be one vehicle that helps people create additional opportunities for themselves and their families.”

The partnership has also created opportunities for ODU students. Through HTEL’s fellowship program, ODU Cybersecurity and English major Tabitha Kabengela spent the spring semester interning at ForKids.

Although she planned to work primarily in technology, Kabengela quickly found herself inspired by the organization’s mission.

“I wasn’t expecting to work in human services,” she said. “But being able to see what ForKids does with my own eyes and contribute to it was really meaningful.”

During her fellowship, Kabengela analyzed volunteer data, helped improve volunteer resources, reviewed cybersecurity policies and supported organizational projects. Along the way, she gained something just as valuable: a deeper understanding of the people behind the work.

“The work culture was so inviting,” she said. “Everyone was so welcoming and willing to help.”

As the partnership continues to grow, HTEL has committed to ongoing workshops, one-on-one coaching opportunities for participants and continued engagement with the ForKids community. The lab also provides a student fellowship, monthly move-in basket donations and connections to additional entrepreneurship resources available through ODU.

“We’ve learned that sometimes people just need someone to listen to their idea, care about it and help connect them to resources,” O’Toole said. “That’s where we hope we can continue to make a difference.”

ForKids is grateful to HTEL, Dr. O’Toole, Dr. Rob Pidduck and the ODU students who are helping expand opportunities for families while strengthening connections between the university and the community.

Pictured above: Dr. Rob Pidduck, Tabitha Kabengela, Dr. Jay O’Toole and Sharon Scannell, MBA, Program Manager, ODU’s Strome Entrepreneurial Center