Ja’Lah Willingham builds legacy of connection

Ja’Lah Willingham’s journey to nonprofit leadership is deeply rooted in relationships – both familial and community – and a commitment to ensuring that older adults never face aging alone.

Growing up in Cincinnati’s Evanston neighborhood, she watched her grandmother, Vera Mae Johnson, care for others with unwavering strength and grace. Her grandmother’s resilience and wisdom became a guiding force in Willingham’s life and leadership.

“People told me I didn’t have a bright future,” Willingham recalled. But her grandmother’s favorite saying stayed with her: “You can work for peanuts or you can work for walnuts, but the choice is yours.” That lesson was about more than work; it was about dignity, self-worth and the power to shape one’s own story.

Her grandmother embodied that lesson, rising from a teenage mother in the 1950s to become one of the first African American women chemists at a local plant. This legacy of perseverance and care informs how Willingham leads today.

As executive director of Cincinnati nonprofit Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly (LBFE), Willingham carries forward those values: building community, honoring elders and creating connections for those aging without traditional family support. At LBFE, the mission is clear: No one should grow old alone.

Building on more than 15 years of nonprofit experience, Willingham went on to earn an associates degree from Xavier University while leading LBFE, maintaining a 4.0 GPA. “Originally, I wanted to prove something to others. But along the way, I proved something to myself: I am enough,” she said. She’s now working on a bachelors degree in organizational leadership.

Before joining LBFE in 2022, Willingham held roles at nonprofits including Public Allies, the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, and Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY.

Now, she’s focused on modernizing LBFE while staying true to its mission. The organization serves hundreds of elders across Greater Cincinnati, many of whom are aging without the support of family or friends. Volunteers visit regularly, celebrate birthdays and holidays and offer a simple but powerful gift: presence.

‘Flowers before bread’

Under Willingham’s leadership, LBFE has grown more inclusive and intentional. “Our motto is ‘Flowers before bread.’ Dignity, beauty and simple human connection are just as nourishing as a hot meal,” she said.

That mindset is paired with strategy.

“When I first arrived, we were only consistently reaching about one-third of our base of 180 elders in a meaningful way,” she said, noting that many of its participants, particularly those who were homebound or facing mobility challenges, were unintentionally left out of regular programming. 

“Since then, we’ve taken intentional steps to make our programs more inclusive and accessible, which has resulted in us doubling our impact and touches of companionship across the community,” Willingham said.

One catalyst of that effort was LBFE’s first annual participant survey, which revealed that two-thirds of elders were homebound. “At the time, we were only reaching these individuals through three holiday visits a year,” Willingham said. “That data pushed us to act.”

LBFE has since more than doubled its delivery-based programming, expanding from three to seven visits per year. The visiting volunteer and telephone reassurance programs – vital lifelines for those who rarely leave their homes – have also expanded.

“These services offer both companionship and peace of mind,” Willingham said. “We’re not just trying to reach more people, we’re committed to reaching them well, with quality, consistency and compassion.”

Willingham also led the acquisition of a wheelchair-accessible van, allowing LBFE to better serve participants who face mobility challenges.

“Social connection is a privilege. When you’re older and alone, even taking out the trash becomes something bigger,” she said. “Our elders aren’t people to be rescued. They’re people to be honored.”

A small team, a big mission

LBFE’s team consists of just four staff members, but the size of their collective impact far exceeds their staffing numbers.

“At Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, our team is small but mighty – and that’s exactly why they’re so crucial to our success,” Willingham said. “When you’re working with a lean structure, you need individuals who are not only passionate but also deeply skilled, adaptable and dependable.”

The staff’s behind-the-scenes efforts – things ranging from CRM systems to volunteer coordination and long-term planning – form the infrastructure that allows meaningful connections to happen again and again.

“Impact isn’t only measured by a single interaction,” Willingham said. “It’s measured by the systems that sustain those interactions.”

That effort is reinforced through strong partnerships. LBFE works alongside organizations like Side-By-Side Ministries – one of its most instrumental collaborators, Willingham said – as well as Pro Seniors, People Working Cooperatively and the Council on Aging, to provide elders with holistic support that goes beyond what any one group could offer alone.

Willingham’s leadership has earned respect throughout the region.

“Ja’Lah’s dedication to uplifting older adults in our community is matched by her motivation to grow and sustain this mission for many years to come,” said Mary Day, development and communications director for Pro Seniors, Inc. “Her leadership shines through in every activity on offer and in her stewardship of staff and financial resources. Our community is stronger because of her and LBFE.”

Community and chosen family

Beyond partnerships and infrastructure, Willingham sees LBFE as building something deeper: chosen family.

“Some of the people who bring me the most joy found us because they were looking for connection,” she said. “And we were able to pair them with elders who needed that too.”

That connection becomes especially visible around the holidays, when community interest peaks. People call the office looking for ways to give back or fill a void in their own lives. “It’s a multigenerational opportunity for everyone to feel useful and valued,” Willingham said.

That same spirit of intentionality and care carries into Willingham’s home life. She’s raising two young daughters to embrace their differences, find their own rituals of connection and claim the self-worth she had to fight for herself.

“They’re so different, and I try to honor that,” she said. “My hope is to support them in becoming their fullest selves.”

Willingham is open about the obstacles she has faced: being underestimated, overlooked and told – sometimes subtly, sometimes not – that she didn’t belong.

“I’ve had people assume I only got where I am because of DEI efforts. That’s not just unfair; it’s dismissive of the hard work,” she said.

She hopes her leadership offers a different blueprint, especially for young women of color. “We don’t live in one box,” she said. “We’re not one story. We’re many.”

Her own story is still unfolding, but it’s anchored by a deep commitment to serving elders with dignity, consistency and respect.

“When I first joined Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, I would share our mission with family, friends and colleagues,” she said. “Many responded with the same puzzled question: ‘How does someone end up lonely or completely isolated in old age?’ That reaction made me realize something important: family, support systems and consistent connection are privileges that not everyone has access to.”

That realization has shaped how she leads. “We’re challenging the idea that elder care only happens in family circles. Our work affirms that community can step in where traditional structures fall short,” she said.

LBFE continues to evolve – rethinking volunteer engagement, expanding its programs and investing in long-term infrastructure. The goal isn’t just to grow, but to grow with care.

“Leading Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly has been one of the most meaningful journeys of my life – not only because of the impact we’re making today, but because of the legacy we’re building for tomorrow,” Willingham said. 

“Every step we take … brings us closer to a world where no one grows old alone.”

littlebrotherscincinnati.org 

*Story edited by Casey Weldon