Our Founder
Danielle Smith-Brent
Executive Director & Founder, KKYO
I'm Danielle Smith-Brent — a Registered Behavior Technician and MSW candidate at Cleveland State University. I'm also a proud first-generation college graduate and an autism parent with over five years of lived experience navigating my son's spectrum diagnosis.
My work with individuals and families experiencing homelessness started long before KKYO was formally launched. But it was my BSW field placement at Sojourner Truth House in Gary, Indiana, that brought me full circle back to my roots, back to the work that called me into this field in the first place.
At STH, I witnessed firsthand the resilience of families navigating crisis and the critical importance of wraparound support. It reminded me of my very first event! Providing hope, clothing, and resources to individuals and families in need on the north side of Chicago. That simple act of showing up, of saying "I see you," became the foundation for everything KKYO is today.
Beyond direct service delivery, I lead mentorship and peer support programs designed to empower parents, individuals, and families with tools and resilience. This includes my Resilient Parent Program offering both one-on-one mentorship and support groups for autism parents, and my forthcoming book, The Comeback Queen, which documents the journey from crisis to thriving.
We don't just serve families experiencing homelessness or children with disabilities. We show up for the people nobody else is seeing. My mission is simple:
Restore hope. Rebuild lives. Rise together.
Continue reading below to learn MORE about my journey.