Helen “Cat” Smith
Helen’s Project was born from the legacy of Helen “Cat” Smith — a quiet force, a community mother, and a woman whose life represented compassion in action. Born on March 15, 1929, in Inverness, Mississippi, Helen was the eldest of five children in a faith-centered home. She served her church, cared for elders in her community, earned her Nurse’s Aid Certification, and eventually opened her own business, Cat’s Place.
In a time when women — especially Black women — were expected to stay small, Helen stood tall.
She was known as a “Woman Boss”, inspiring women in the Delta to trust their strength, embrace their leadership, and believe in their purpose.
Helen didn’t just care for people —
she lifted them.
And the memory of how she lived became the foundation of Helen’s Project.
Our Founder’s Journey
Kayla’s journey to creating Helen’s Project was not straight or simple. It was shaped by survival, motherhood, education, faith, and the painful reality of navigating systems that were never designed to support people like her.
As a teenager and young adult, Kayla endured human trafficking, a trauma that began with a devastating betrayal: her closest friend — someone she trusted without hesitation — sold her to a pimp for $500.
Her life was put in immediate danger. And in a moment that changed everything, it was a compassionate stranger — a “John” — who helped her escape, refusing to let her story end in violence. That single act of unexpected humanity became the doorway to a second chance.
Survival, however, was only the beginning.
Healing was a journey she had to rebuild one step at a time.
She became a single parent, balancing diapers, work, classes, flashbacks, and exhaustion — often all in the same day. She returned to college postpartum, determined to rewrite her story despite fear, stigma, and the weight of her past.
When Kayla tried to find mental-health support, she hit wall after wall:
waitlists that stretched for months
providers who didn’t understand her culture
services she couldn’t afford
systems too complicated to navigate while already drowning
She looked for help and was handed paperwork.
She asked for support and was told to wait.
She showed up ready to heal — and the system showed her its limitations.
No one in crisis should have to fight this hard for care.
Not survivors. Not single parents. Not students. Not anyone.
And that is where Helen’s Project began.
Helen cared for people with dignity, humility, and heart — and Kayla wanted to build something that carried that spirit forward.
Helen’s Project was founded with one promise:
No one should ever have to navigate mental-health care alone — or with unnecessary barriers.
Today, with one call, individuals and families can access:
therapy
medication support
care coordination
youth and family services
survivor-centered support
organizational and community wellness through the Community Care Partners Program
No long waitlists.
No overwhelming processes.
No retraumatization disguised as “intake.”
Just care.
Culturally responsive.
Affordable.
Immediate.
Human.
Because healing should not add more harm.
A Growing Movement
The growth of Helen’s Project reflects both the strength of our model and the urgency of our mission.
In 2023, we were selected for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Social Innovation Incubator, joining the organization’s first all-women cohort. During the program, Helen’s Project was honored with:
🏆 Most Impactful Venture Award
🏆 Audience Choice Award
These awards confirmed what our clients and communities already felt:
Helen’s Project was doing more than providing therapy — we were transforming access for people who had long been overlooked, dismissed, or underserved.
But our journey didn’t end there.
Because of our continued impact, expansion, and community demand, Helen’s Project advanced to the 2025 United Way Social Innovation Accelerator, one of the region’s most competitive and high-impact programs. This next step represents not only recognition of our work — but a belief in our long-term vision for national change.
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Selected for the first all-women cohort
Received Most Impactful Venture Award
Received Audience Choice Award
Built foundational models for immediate access + culturally responsive care
Established proof-of-concept for no-waitlist mental-health services
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Scaled into additional states
Strengthened infrastructure
Launched the Heal It Forward program
Built partnerships with schools, nonprofits, community groups
Developed the framework for Community Care Partners Program
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Advanced into the next phase of United Way’s innovation pipeline
Began shaping long-term sustainability, statewide growth, and community-based innovation
Focused on data-driven expansion and measurable impact
Positioned Helen’s Project as a leading model for immediate, culturally responsive care
Today — A Growing National Movement
Helen’s Project continues to expand across multiple states, offering immediate access to therapy, medication support, survivor-centered services, and organizational mental-health care through our Community Care Partners Program.
We are building a future where:
people don’t wait months for help
survivors access care without shame
single parents aren’t navigating systems alone
youth and families find support rooted in culture and humanity
communities receive care that meets them where they are
And we’re just getting started.
Why Helen’s Project exists
survivors who need safety without shame
single parents doing everything on their own
students trying to heal while pursuing dreams
families who deserve culturally responsive care
organizations seeking support for the people they serve
communities who have been asked to wait long enough
Every session, every conversation, every partnership carries Helen’s spirit — strength, compassion, grit, and community.
Helen didn’t just care for people —
she lifted them.
And now, through this work, Kayla lifts others the same way she was once lifted — guiding people from survival to healing, from fear to hope, and from chaos to community.