Our Why

12:31’s founder and Executive Director, Mike Dahlhauser, knows firsthand how quickly a family’s circumstances can change.

After a serious back injury left him unable to work, Mike and his family experienced years of financial instability, including difficulty paying for housing, utilities, food, transportation, and other basic needs.

Through those experiences, Mike saw both the vulnerability families can face and the gaps that exist when support is limited, fragmented, or difficult to access. He founded 12:31 to provide the kind of practical, individualized assistance that can help families through a crisis and protect the stability they have worked hard to build.

That experience still shapes 12:31 today: compassionate support, without judgment, tailored to the needs of each family.