How effective is Youth Villages?
Holiday Heroes
In-home program helps daughter return home
Family Victories from Youth Villages, Middle Tennessee
Jasmine’s difference
Transitional Living program supports new adulthood ALSO INSIDE:
ÂYouth Villages named one of best nonprofits to work for Save the date: Golf Fore Kids Rep. Cooper visits Nashville office
A Message From Our CEO Employees, volunteers make a huge difference Youth Villages CEO Patrick W. Lawler
Everyone has a chance to make the most of their opportunities, facing each day with a goal to help others and leave something positive behind. Whether it is grand or a subtle, indirect approach, a special type of person makes an effort to do it each day. Part of what makes Youth Villages special is that so many of our dedicated staff view each day that way. Their attitude makes us a special organization, one that is proactive in its efforts to help others. And it’s contagious – more want to help as word gets out. In fact, there is a story in this newsletter highlighting Youth Villages being named one of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For in 2010 by the NonProfit Times. Employees were surveyed across the organization, answering questions about how well Youth Villages plans and takes care of employees. Do they enjoy working with their co-workers? Are there opportunities for advancement, and more. It’s an honor to achieve this national accolade, and it speaks strongly to our mission and values – we’re committed to helping children and families. Our volunteers, donors and fundraising events are also part of what makes Youth Villages great. This newsletter highlights our Middle Tennessee volunteers who support our children during the holidays and shows how help with our Transitional Living program is empowering young people like Jasmine to successfully transition to adulthood. Read about Angela, who is living with her mother now and thriving after going through our in-home services program. Each day, we have the opportunity to help foster another successful life. Each day, we can take a small step to help another. In Middle Tennessee, our volunteers and employees’ small steps are helping thousands of children grow into successful young adults. And I thank you for the steps you take in helping us and helping children.
Patrick W. Lawler Chief Executive Officer pat.lawler@youthvillages.org (901) 251-5000 2
Youth Villages Board of Directors Mike Bruns, Chairman Jim Parrish, Vice Chairman Paul Bower, Treasurer Jimmy Lackie, Secretary Jim Barton Jr. Eric Bolton Joyce Broffitt Kenneth Campbell Lewis Holland John Hutchins Joanna Jacobson Rev. Robert Earl Jones Bryan Jordan Ken May Mark Medford Johnny Pitts Ray Pohlman Jennifer Queen Ronnie Randall Matthew Tarkenton David Tyler Betsy Walkup George White Patrick Lawler, CEO
Middle Tennessee Leadership Council Bill Hamburg, Co-chairman Betsy Walkup, Co-chairman Karen Baker Judy Caplan George Cate Jr. Mary Cooper Vaughan DePillo Mary Grochau Jeff Harman Julia Ann Hawkins Chris Kimler Elena Perez Peter Powell Lisa Steiner Small Lele Thompson Pat Wallace Jeremy Werthan Vicki Willett
Program Success As a national leader in the field of behavioral health, Youth Villages has measured outcomes of children and families participating in its programs since 1994.
The above graph shows that one year after being discharged from Youth Villages’ services, young people served in Middle Tennessee are most likely to be home with their family, have no involvement with the law and are either in school or graduated from high school. Services include in-home services, foster care and community-based group homes in Middle Tennessee.
Jasmine finds needed support in Transitional Living program Jasmine entered Youth Villages’ Transitional Living program to get support she wasn’t receiving from family. She was unemployed out of school. She lacked the life skills to manage money, find a home and a job. Crystal Jacobs, a Transitional Living specialist who has been with Youth Villages more than three years, began working with Jasmine in September 2009. Jasmine made quick progress by first establishing a support network. In October, she learned during a Panera Bread Co. event about possible employment there. Panera is a corporate giving partner with Youth Villages in Nashville. Jacobs worked with Jasmine on her interviewing skills and they role-played the interview. Jasmine was hired, and does everything from cashier to working the dining room and everything in between. “Jasmine is great,” said Jerry Robinson, manager of Panera Cafe in downtown Nashville. “If she’s not helping customers, she is always trying to find something to assist with. She is self-motivated, very outgoing and friendly.” Jasmine also plans to attend summer classes at Nashville State to resume pursuing a college degree. “I love Crystal and the Transitional Living program,” Jasmine said. “It has helped me so much. I can call whenever I need help, and Crystal is always there.”
YV one of best places to work The NonProfit Times and Best Companies Group have named Youth Villages one of the 50 Best Nonprofit Organizations to Work For in the United States. The annual survey and award program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in the non-profit sector. The 2010 list of 50 Best Nonprofit Organizations to Work For was chosen in a two-part process. The primary part, which made up 75
percent of the evaluation, consisted of a randomized employee survey. The survey allowed employees to rank their organizations in eight key areas, including leadership and planning, corporate culture and communications, work environment, relationship with supervisor and pay/benefits. The second part consisted of evaluating each organization’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. Youth Villages and the American
Heart Association were the only two nonprofits in the Top 50 with more than 2,000 employees. “This is a great honor for Youth Villages,” said Patrick W. Lawler, chief executive officer. “Our employees are on the front lines every day, helping children who have sometimes suffered from abuse and neglect, and have very challenging mental health issues. “On our residential campuses, they are responsible for meeting children’s needs 24 hours a day; through our inhome and community programs, counselors respond at all hours to families in crisis. It’s inspiring to know they gave our organization such top ratings.” 3
Middle Tennessee children, community celebrate holidays
Middle Tennessee organizations stepped up to help Youth Villages during the holidays by helping to ensure more than 650 children receiving help through Youth Villages’ foster care and residential programs, along with families helped through intensive in-home services and young adults participating in the Transitional Living program, received Christmas gifts. Holiday Heroes in Middle Tennessee include Healthways, Bridgestone Firestone, Turner Universal, NFIB, AT&T, Dell and Unity Hair Salon.
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More than 650 children receiving help through Youth Villages’ foster care and residential programs, along with families helped through intensive in-home services and young adults participating in the Transitional Living program, had much to celebrate in 2009 thanks to generous donations from Holiday Heroes in Middle Tennessee. “We thought last year couldn’t be topped,” said Patti Bryan, development director of Youth Villages in Middle Tennessee. “But once again, we were overwhelmed by support from the community.” Many local organizations, including Healthways, Bridgestone Firestone, Turner Universal, NFIB, AT&T, Dell and Unity Hair Salon, provided more than money - they also helped make the holidays a happy time for many young people. More than 500 Healthways employees volunteered, and students from St. Edwards, Grassland Middle, and Father Ryan High School helped out by wrapping gifts. “Because of the support we received, we were able to give more donations than ever before, including some last-minute gifts,” Bryan said. “We can’t thank everyone enough.”
More than 500 employees from Healthways in Franklin, Tenn., volunteered their time and money to become Holiday Heroes by going on a shopping spree at local Walmart stores to purchase gifts for more than 200 young people with Youth Villages. Young people received such gifts as Mp3 players, books, clothes, bicycles, board games and more. Monetarily, Youth Villages in Middle Tennessee was able to give more donations than ever before.
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Learning, growing together After time in foster care, daughter and mother build trusting relationship Family is tough. Years ago, Angela’s parents divorced and her father re-married. There was a lot of conflict and strife throughout the process, and it affected Angela in many ways. She was depressed, she ran away from home and she hurt herself. She spent a year in foster care. Upon discharge, she decided to live with her biological mother. Jennifer, Angela’s mother, is proud of her daughter. She should be. A sophomore in high school, Angela is doing well and in some honors classes. She plays on the soccer team and is a squad leader in her school’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. But Angela hadn’t lived with her mother for some time. “At first, it was a big adjustment,” Jennifer said. “I wanted to give her everything, but that wasn’t reasonable.” Youth Villages Family Counselor Alexa Roney worked with Angela on
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Youth Villages Family Counselor Alexa Roney, left, with Angela, Jennifer and Gabriel. Angela, center, spent a year in foster care before being reunited with her mother. Both Angela and her mother had to learn how to communicate with each other as well as establishing productive schedules and behavior. They recently discharged from in-home services.
communication skills, making good choices and anger management. She worked with Jennifer on parenting skills and offered support. She worked with both on establishing selfconfidence and trust. “Jennifer needed to implement structure and establish safe boundaries,” Roney said. “Each of them has an extensive history, and they found a way to communicate without pushing one another’s buttons.” Angela has been with her mother since August.
One morning an argument between mother and daughter about something unimportant escalated into almost shouting, and Angela began to panic. Jennifer was able to comfort Angela and diminish her heightened anxiety because of the argument. She reminded her daughter that her mother was there. Today, Angela is thriving. She’ll be going to her school’s prom this spring as well as a formal military ball. “I’m growing and
developing into my own person,” Angela said. “I’m becoming more self-confident and I’m able to make good choices.” Her troop of friends frequently visits her home, and Jennifer is getting accustomed to cooking and helping out. But Angela also helps out with chores around the house. She helps care for Gabby, 5, her younger sister. “We’re both learning and growing together,” Jennifer said. “I’m thankful for Alexa’s help. I’m happy Angela has come home.”
Wanting to be somebody... Autumn is making straight A’s in school and also works 25-30 hours a week at a restaurant. She wants to pursue engineering as a career. With her permission, Youth Villages is reprinting a cover letter she wrote in applying for a pre-engineering program.
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rowing up takes time, persistence and maturity. People do not just learn everything in one day. Before one can run, one must walk, and before one can walk, one must crawl. This is true for any situation. For me, being a computer software engineer is not only my dream, but also something I have striven to make a reality. From a young age, I have only had one reliable factor: school. Placed in foster care when I was 11, I did not know what to do or who to trust. My homes changed quickly, 14 times over the next five years. The faces of people I knew stuck with me, but those were just memories; the people left just as quickly as they entered. I changed schools a lot, and although it was a struggle to keep up in my classes, it was the one thing I could focus on. School was my constant. If I was scared, I could read a book, close my eyes, and imagine myself there. If I wanted to go somewhere new, instead of having to ride for miles in my DCS worker’s car, I could dive into George Orwell’s 1984. Life as a child can definitely be confusing. Life as an adult can be even more confusing. I believe the hardest part in one’s life is when they are stuck in between being a child and an adult, trying to figure out just who they are.
Most people go through a stage while they are young where they try to decide what they want to be. If I could write a list of the attributes that would most resemble me, the top thing on my list would be a good leader and somebody with the passion and motivation to make sure nobody stood in their way. I may not have always shown these qualities, but they have always been inside of me, something constantly keeping me on track. I was only 9 when first I saw Apollo 13, but I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be one of those brilliant people who figured out how to fit a square into a circle. I wanted to multiply numbers that were imaginary and create an algorithm to tell a computer what to do. Since that day, I have spent hours and hours researching what a computer engineer does. I have taken computer, math and science courses, while making enormous effort to learn everything behind the scenes of the wonderful world of engineering. I have a passion to learn and a desire to be taught everything and anything. My life has been very challenging at times, and I have chosen to make the
best of it. Although I have had many struggles, I am blessed. I have the capability to think, to dream, and to make goals that I wish to achieve. I have the power to achieve those goals. While pursuing my education in computers I have met plenty of people who are employed by a company such as Dell, but also give back to the community. They sponsor programs where young adults in difficult situations can be shown things they may not have known because of their circumstances. For example, I once went to this thing where Dell toured us through the building showing us all the different jobs people had and all the interesting things about the company. They showed us how to create resumes on computers and even showed us their new and secret accessories that were going to be coming out in 2010. This was definitely one of those times where you could use the term “broadening someone’s horizon.” I want to be an engineer, but I also want to give back to the community. I do not want millions of dollars; I do not want fancy cars. I want to be able to say, “I did it.” I want to enjoy the simplest pleasures in life starting with the freedom to be who I want to be. I want to graduate high school and make a future for myself. People who grow up “in the system” are said to eventually become a drug abuser, end up in jail, or some other heartbreaking statistic. I want to show the world that I refuse to be another number, another case. I want to show the world what I can do.
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A STATELY VISIT IN NASHVILLE U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper recently visited Youth Villages’ Nashville office. Cooper, center, is pictured with Youth Villages employees, left to right, Middle Tennessee Development Director Patti Bryan, Crisis Services Director Carla Babb, Chief Operating Officer Lee Rone, Cooper, Program Development and Community Support Director Caroline Hannah, Director of Nashville Programs Amanda Futral, Government Relations Specialist Kelly Miller and Middle Tennessee Director Charmaine Kromer.
Thompson begins Leadership Council internship A Nashville resident of 10 years, Lele Thompson is a national accounts manager at Valutec in Franklin, Tenn. Thompson also spent nearly a decade in retail and marketing, with such diverse roles as director of sales at the Loveless Cafe, sales manager at Nashville locations of Banana Republic and marketing consultant for Jaguar North America, Mini USA and Ford Motor Company. Thompson stays involved in the Nashville community by volunteering at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, co-chairing the Chukkers for Charity Car Show benefiting The Rochelle Center and Saddle Up in 2009 and 2010, as well as serving on the advisory committee for the Young Jacksonian Society benefiting Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage. She is happy to join Youth Villages as an intern after completing her classes in the Young Leaders Council. She has a Bachelors of Business Administration degree in marketing from the University of Mississippi.
Register now for the Youth Villages Middle Tennessee Golf Fore Kids tournament at President’s Reserve at Hermitage Golf Course on Oct. 4. Last year’s tournament was a huge success, and this year’s will be even better. For information, call Youth Villages’ development department at 615-250-7207 or email natalie.lucas@ youthvillages.org.
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SAVE THE DATE – OCTOBER 4th ! 5th Annual Golf FORE Kids in Middle Tennessee
Hermitage Golf Course President’s Reserve 3939 Old Hickory Boulevard, Old Hickory, TN 38138
11 a.m. – Delicious Lunch from Panera Noon – Shotgun Start
Tournament proceeds will benefit the young people in Youth Villages’ Transitional Living program and the LIFT mentoring program J
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Your day of fun will include: Awesome Mulligan Package Closest to the Pin Contest Guess the Distance Contest Putting Contest Appetizers by A Catered Affair Silent Auction
Hole In One Contest Live Entertainment Giveaways at the Holes
Sign me up for the 2010 Youth Villages Golf FORE Kids in Middle Tennessee Tournament! ___ $10,000 Presenting
___ $5,000 Leadership
___ $2,500 Corporate
___ $1,500 All Inclusive
___ $1,000 Intermediate ___ $150 Individual Player Business/Individual Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________________________ State: _______
Zip: ____________
Phone: ______________________________________________ E-Mail: _______________________________________ Signature __________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ I cannot be a sponsor this year, but would like to make a donation of $_______________________________ Please charge to my AMEX/MC/VISA # _____________________________Exp. Date___________3 digit code ____ Enclosed is my check made payable to Youth Villages.
Please send to: Youth Villages Golf FORE Kids 3310 Perimeter Hill Drive Nashville, TN 37211 For additional information, please contact Greg at 615-250-7262 or greg.schott@youthvillages.org.
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Pictured above, left to right, are Renee Sloan, Darrell Fluent, Pam Fluent, Constance Smith-Burwell, Trina White, Betsy Parham and Steven H. Meriwether.
A Catered Affair hosts Year of Giving
Harvard study lauds Youth Villages The Harvard Business
A Catered Affair recently hosted a dinner for Youth Villages to recognize its volunteers, supporters and donors. As part of its Year of Giving campaign, A Catered Affair donated space, food, music and beverages to this event.
School recently completed a case study that
At right, Jasmine, left, poses with Youth Villages’ Joanna Dixon and her baby.
examines Youth Villages’ growth At left, standing left to right, are Chaise Wallis, Gretchen Dorman, Mary Cooper and Pat Wallace. Sitting are Helen Johnson and Beverly Smitchens.
and impact as a national leader in the field of children’s behavioral health in the last decade. Written by HBS Professor Allen Grossman, Catherine Ross of the HBS Global Research Group and William Foster, a partner at the Bridgespan Group, the case study explores Youth Villages’ innovative treatment approach, use of research in program development and targeted growth strategies. The case on Youth Villages was written for inclusion in a new course at HBS called “Leading and Governing Highly Effective Nonprofit Organizations.” “Youth Villages is a highly effective organization with quality leadership and a proven approach,” Grossman said. The complete case study is available at harvardbusiness.org.
Pictured above, left to right, are Amber Frye, Pat Wallace, Judi Davis, Natalie Lucas and Vaughan DePillo.
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Contributions Donations
Thanks to our many supporters
The following donors made gifts to Youth Villages between July 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009. The board of directors and staff of Youth Villages gratefully acknowledge these thoughtful contributions. If you made a contribution during this time but it is not listed, please call the Youth Villages development department at 615-250-7207.
$20,000+
Healthways Foundation
$10,000+
Joe C. Davis Foundation HCA Health Care Foundation Panera Bread
$5,000+
Hawkins Charitable Lead Trust
$2,500+
Dale Family Foundation Mrs. Elise Steiner and Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Small
$1,000+
The Atticus Trust Mary N. Wade, Lucile J. Nelson, DeeDee J. Wade, Mary Fall Wade Dr. M. Catherine Dundon
The Nashville Predators Foundation recently donated $2,000 to Youth Villages. E. B. S. Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Bill Phillips Telecom Pioneers TN Chapter #21 The Temple Congregation Ohabai Sholom Tri-Med Pharmacy Service LLC Ms. Betsy Walkup
$500+
American General Life & Accident Insurance Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. Household Capitol Consultants Inc. Dell Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Doochin Mr. and Mrs. F. Miles Ezell Jeff Harman Patricia and Rodes Hart Foundation Mr. J. Reginald Hill Mrs. Heloise Kuhn NFIB Mr. Steve Oden
Honorariums and memorials The following honorariums and memorials were made to Youth Villages between July 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2009. The board of directors and staff of Youth Villages gratefully acknowledge these thoughtful contributions. If you made a contribution during this time but it is not listed, please call the Youth Villages development department at 615-250-7207.
In Honor of
In Memory of
Mrs. Susan R. Berry J. Fred Pilkerton Jr.
Emmett “Chuck� Dawson Lynn E. Berard
Jaala, Bobby and Reagan Cox Candy and Bill Phillips
Dick Hayes Mary and Earl Grochau
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company Mr. David B. Taylor
Other Gifts
Mr. & Mrs. Hunter Atkins Mrs. Lynn E. Berard Mr. Richard Biggs Ms. Barbara Bittles Ms. Louisa Bowers Mr. & Mrs. W.A. Bryan III Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Cato Chapman & Rosenthal Title Inc. Ms. Karin Coble Mr. Vaughan DePillo Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Dillingham Mr. Duncan Eve Mr. and Mrs. James Fishel Mr. Jason B. Foley Mr. Richard A. Fowler Mr. and Mrs. L.Wilford Fuqua Mrs. Jennifer Gonzales Mr. Horace H. Granbery
Mr. Christopher A. Grissom Mr. and Mrs. Earl Grochau Billy and Caroline Hamburg Reverend Anthony Hayes HCA Caring For The Community Ms. Victoria Heil & Dr. Eric Raefsky Mrs. Barbara Jones Mr. and Mrs. Scott H. Lacoste Mr. Brent Lautenschlegar Mr. Terry MacKay Mr. Ronnie Marsh Mr. Francis A. Martin Mr.& Mrs. Ken Melkus Mr. William W. Moschler Jr. Mrs. Pam Mueller-Fluent Nissan North America Inc. Mrs. Cathy Owsley Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Patterson Mr. J. Fred Pilkerton Mr. C. Reavis Mr. Joseph M. Roberts III Ms. Sara L. Rosson Dr. Charles E. Ruch Mr. Todd Schott Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Mr. Eric Smith Mrs. Judy Stockton Ms. Ann Thomason Mr. & Mrs. DeWitt Thompson III Dr. Richard Tomichek Mr. Scott Tracey Tri-Med Pharmacy Service LLC Mr. Jason Vettorel Mr. William J. Wade Jr. Ms. Patricia Wallace Walters Art Museum Reid Ward Warren Insulation Ms. Betty O. Williamson Mr. Philip Zaretzki
Remember Youth Villages in your planned giving Planned gifts are charitable gifts that can benefit you and your loved ones today and the children of Youth Villages in the future. There are many options to make strategic planned gifts. To learn more about making a planned gift to Youth Villages, please contact Development Director Patti Bryan at 615-250-7207 or at patti.bryan@youthvillages.org.
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YOUTH VILLAGES 3310 Perimeter Hill Drive Nashville, TN 37211 (Address Service Requested)
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid
www.youthvillages.org
A private nonprofit organization, Youth Villages serves more than 15,000 children and their families from offices in the following cities: Alabama: Anniston, Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile Arkansas: Jonesboro, Little Rock Florida: Lakeland, Miami, Tampa Georgia: Atlanta, Douglasville Massachusetts: Lawrence, Woburn, Worcester Mississippi: Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Hernando, Jackson, Tupelo New Hampshire: Manchester North Carolina: Asheville, Charlotte, Concord, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, Pinehurst, Raleigh-Durham, Wilmington Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dickson, Dyersburg, Jackson, Johnson City, Knoxville, Linden, Memphis, Morristown, Nashville, Paris Texas: Dallas Virginia: Arlington, Roanoke Washington, D.C.
Please write to Youth Villages’ Nashville office if you wish to have your name removed from our mailing list. Attn: Development Office 3310 Perimeter Hill Drive Nashville, TN 37211
New Heights Middle Tennessee is published by Youth Villages Managing editor: Greg Schott Associate editor: Chris Pennington
Founded in Memphis, Tenn., in 1986, Youth Villages has built a national reputation for offering the most effective programs and services to help emotionally troubled children and their families. The private nonprofit organization provides a fully integrated continuum of services, including residential treatment, in-home services, foster care and adoption, mentoring and a transitional living program for young adults aging out of foster care.