Ignite U1 empowers individuals to break destructive cycles and step into the life they were created to live. That change begins when you ignite you first.
Year of impact
lives reached
cycles interrupted
We all have a story.
We all carry struggles.
We all face obstacles.
We all deserve hope.
At some point in life, many people discover that the labels they carried, the pain they've experienced, or the circumstances they inherited do not define their future.
Ignite U1 was created from the belief that while you cannot undo the past, you can change the future. For your kids. And their kids. And their kids.
That change begins when you Ignite You F.I.R.S.T.
Katie Phipps
Ignite U1 Director of Strategy
Having established a global impact through Ignite International since 2003, Ignite International founder Judy Fox sensed there was a unique way to reach more lives and touch more hearts. She couldn't quite put her finger on exactly what "it" was.
The answer arrived on what seemed like an ordinary Friday night in 2018 when a complete stranger walked off a television screen and into the heart of Ignite International through an episode of Dateline NBC.
That stranger was Katie Phipps—a courageous single mother whose journey through unrelenting trauma led to wrongful incarceration and national media attention.
What began as a random introduction soon became a profound friendship and a shared conviction to help people discover the hope of a different future.
Ignite U1 reflects the convergence of two paths of opposite origin. One shaped by decades of helping people unlock hope and human potential. The other forged through unimaginable adversity, resilience, and the determination to reclaim a life once thought lost.

The F.I.R.S.T. Framework is a coach-led, evidence-informed roadmap designed to help individuals break destructive cycles, overcome adversity, and become who they were created to be.
face it
Acknowledge your reality with honesty and courage. "it" loses all power over you when it is named.
identify the controllables
Separate what you can control from what you cannot. Reclaim your power in the space where it actually lives.
reimagine your life
allow your mind to see yourself in a new future so you know what destination you are heading toward.
surrender it
Freedom begins when you set down the weights you were never meant to carry. You faced it, now let it go.
take action
commit to taking one step forward today. Do it again tomorrow. each step is one closer to your transformation.
"Thank you! Your ability to relate and get through to even our toughest clients was incredible. You give the clients a space to be vulnerable, be seen, and have hope for a brighter future."
zoey s.
Nonprofit Leader
"You left our confined kids feeling that they made a true and deep connection to people who understand them. You gave them hope and a glimpse into the real possibility of a brighter future. A hope and a future. You are changing lives—which in turn changes generations. "
The Honorable Judge McCary
County Judge
"This organization would be very beneficial to any type of alternative school setting. The experience, strategies, and level of understanding Ignite U1 brings to the table are unmatched."
TONYA M., EdS
Educator
Whether you are an individual ready to overcome the cycles of the past, an organization looking to empower your community, or someone who wants to help ignite generational cycles of hope—there is a place for you here.
Ignite U1 an initiative of Ignite International, Inc. | EIN 06-1700583
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