C. J. Smith, is an LLC under the umbrella of Lillian’s Place, a nonprofit organization, founded in 2017 in Glenarden, MD. The expansion to include a for-profit entity was decided by the board of directors to provide additional resources for Lillian’s Place, which has been adversely affected by the major decrease in grant opportunities for small non-profits.
Catherine Smith, founder of Lillian’s Place and President of C.J Smith, LLC has professional experience which includes social worker, substitute teacher, and vocational rehabilitation specialist for the Department of Disability Services in Washington, DC. In addition, she currently mentors and advocates for youth in the juvenile justice system through her mentor position at Assurance Quality Care (AQC). Together with her board vice president Janice Ataiyero, they are management of C.J Smith, LLC. Both are social, educational, and disability advocates who use their skills and experience to improve the well-being of youth and communities by addressing issues such as poverty, homelessness, discrimination, and access to healthcare, employment and education.
Through current collaborations and partnerships with local school districts, area businesses, local government, and other youth–serving organizations in the community, C.J. Smith, LLC can provide mentoring, academic and career exploration programs as well as needed community resources to disadvantaged youth aged 14-21 in the Washington-Metropolitan area (NOVA)