Youth Villages New Heights - Middle Tenn. edition, Spring 2011

Transitional living program part of national trial...3

Community, staff support youth’s education goals...7

Youth Villages supports inauguration parade...8

Family Victories from Youth Villages Middle Tennessee

Spring 2011

HOLIDAY HEROES Middle Tennessee helps ensure children have happy holidays

page 4

FAMILY FINDER

Program locates family for children page 3

Right at home

(M[LY `LHYZ VM ZO\MÅPUN [OYV\NO MVZ[LY OVTLZ [LLUZ ÄUK WLYTHULUJ` page 6

A Message

from Our CEO

More ways to help children and families At Youth Villages, we constantly seek ways to reach more children and families to help them live successfully. Our values are exhibited daily through the efforts of our staff and volunteers who work tirelessly, doing whatever it takes to create stable, supportive homes for children.

Examples of this are featured in this newsletter, including volunteer and donor-supported events like Holiday Heroes, where community members and organizations take time and money to purchase Christmas gifts for youth in our programs.

But we also have begun a new effort in Middle Tennessee to help youth.

Read about Garrett McDill, who works to find family members for young

Clarksville

Cookeville Nashville Dickson Columbia Linden

YOUTH VILLAGES BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Bruns, Chairman Ronnie Randall, Vice Chairman Paul Bower, Treasurer Jimmy Lackie, Secretary Jim Barton Jr. Eric Bolton Kenneth Campbell Marietta Davis Lewis Holland John Hutchins Joanna Jacobson Rev. Robert Earl Jones Bryan Jordan Karole Lloyd Mark Medford Jim Parrish Johnny Pitts Ray Pohlman Jennifer Queen Matthew Tarkenton David Tyler Betsy Walkup George White Patrick Lawler, CEO

people who have been in foster care or group homes for an extended period of time. For these young people, she finds family those youth didn’t know they could count on. Her first success in this role found an aunt willing to adopt her niece who had been in foster care and group homes for five years.

Also read about the national trial Youth Villages is participating in for our transitional living program.

Through this trial, we seek to identify more effective and efficient ways to help young people aging out of the foster care system and ease their successful transition to independent adult living. Our TL program has experienced rapid growth during the past several months. We help more than 300 young people in Tennessee and our new program in Alabama helps six youth.

There are many ways in which you can change the life of a child in Middle Tennessee. Some of those ways are highlighted in this newsletter, but there are many, many more. Thank you for all you do to help our children and families live successfully.

Patrick W. Lawler *OPLM ,_LJ\[P]L 6MÄJLY pat.lawler@youthvillages.org (901) 251-5000 2

MIDDLE TENNESSEE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Bill Hamburg, Co-Chairman Betsy Walkup, Co-Chairman Karen Baker Judy Caplan George Cate Jr. Tarsha Clemons Mary Cooper Vaughan DePillo Bob Grimes Mary Grochau Jeff Harman Julia Ann Hawkins Chris Kimler Elena Perez Laura Perkins Louisa Pruitt Lisa Small Kevin Thompson Lele Thompson Pat Wallace Jeremy Werthan

Program Success

(Z H UH[PVUHS SLHKLY PU [OL ÄLSK VM ILOH]PVYHS OLHS[O @V\[O =PSSHNLZ OHZ TLHZ\YLK outcomes of children and families participating in its programs since 1994.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE PROGRAM SUCCESS

The graph above represents status at one year after discharge. Figures include only youth who received at least 60 days of service and reflect a response rate of 56 percent.

MCDILL SEARCHES FOR FAMILY TO HELP FOSTER CHILDREN

Garrett McDill

Youth Villages in Middle Tennessee is finding family for many children who believed they had none.

How important is family? At Youth Villages, we know it’s

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD Backpack Heroes: Many children in Youth Villages’ programs live well below the poverty line and most cannot afford a backpack or school supplies for the upcoming school year. Youth Villages will be collecting donations which will help provide these items to more than 700 children in Middle Tennessee.

Friend in need: Support the basic needs of children year round by providing things such as clothes, baby items and many other household goods.

Job skills training: Share your knowledge of the business world with a teenager just beginning his or her entry into the workplace. Work with individual students or small groups on interviewing skills, job applications or computer skills.

Teach a talent: Use your talents — photography, arts and crafts, cooking, music, sports, and singing — to broaden the experiences of an interested young person.

Become a volunteer. It may be the most rewarding thing you ever do!

For information, contact Greg Schott at 615-250-7262 or e-mail greg.schott@youthvillages.org.

everything.

Roots, a sense of who you are and where you came from, are important as children mature into young adults and strive for independence. In addition, family ideally brings a sense of trust, a

Each story is unique, but all of them likely wouldn’t have

person or group of

happened without

people who can be

someone like McDill

counted on.

Children who have been in foster care or at a group home

devoting full attention to the case.

for some time need that crucial support. Many times, children are ready to live at home after finishing their Youth Villages program, but they have no identified family – and no means of support or security.

For such children, Garrett McDill can be an angel. She is part counselor, investigator and genealogist and full-time locator of family members and supports for many of Middle Tennessee’s youth. She’s been with Youth Villages for more continued on page 8 3

HOLIDAY HEROES

A great time helping children in need

Middle Tennessee organizations stepped up to help Youth Villages during the holidays by helping to ensure more than 700 children received Christmas gifts. These children are in such YV programs as foster care, residential treatment, intensive in-home programs and the transitional living program for young adults. Holiday Heroes in Middle Tennessee include Healthways, Bridgestone Firestone, Turner Universal, NFIB, AT&T, Dell Inc. and Unity Hair Salon.

4

More than 700 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 2010 thanks to generous donations from Holiday Heroes in Middle Tennessee.

“We thought last year couldn’t be topped,” said Patti Bryan, development director for 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 Inc., Tennessee State University, Ingersoll Rand and Unity Hair Salon, provided more than money — they also helped make the holidays a happy time for many young people.

Students from Grassland Middle School, Father Ryan High School and many other volunteers helped out by wrapping gifts.

“Because of the support we received, we were able to bring joy to more children than ever before, including many who came to us at the last minute,” Bryan said. “We can’t thank everyone enough.”

5

A GOOD HOME ALWAYS HAS ROOM FOR A FEW MORE Former foster children treat young people as their own As Tina discusses a school English paper with one child, another stands at the kitchen sink washing dishes from the evening meal. Another sibling deals with one of several dogs that live in the home, while Darryl and a third child inspect a coin collection.

There is a lot going on in this big family; and the family just got a little bigger. For Blake and Robert, two teens shuffled through the foster care system over the past few years, Tina and Darryl’s home has become a permanent one — the first one either of them has ever known. Blake and Robert are the newest additions to the family, having been recently adopted with the help of Youth Villages.

Darryl and Tina know the importance of good foster homes, each having spent part of their childhood in one. Tina was put into state custody following problems with her father at age 16 and was eventually in a juvenile detention center. Darryl’s mother became ill in Arizona and was declared unable to raise her seven children when he was only 9. Perhaps it was

Tina and Faith stand behind the rest of the family. Robert, DJ with dog Ricky Bobby, Blake with dog Sierra, and father Darryl join them.

these experiences that led them to better understand how foster children

children: two who still reside in the

should be treated.

home and a third in the Air Force in

This is a welcome change for both

Texas. But it’s difficult to tell which

children. Blake never felt like part of

are the biological children if you don’t

the family at all in his previous foster

already know.

home, Darryl said.

“We don’t treat a foster kid any different than

to be here for awhile.”

“They brought me in and treated me

“When we first got Blake on respite,

we do our own,” Darryl

like their own,” said Robert, 15. “In the

they [the previous foster family] were

seven months since I’ve been here,

going on vacation,” Darryl said.

said. “We talk to them

I have never once considered this a

the same, get onto them the same and we expect the same out of them.”

foster home.”

Blake has similar feelings.

something, they left me at the house.

“When I came here it didn’t neces-

It’s never been that way here.”

sarily feel like a foster family,” he said.

Amy Hawkins, the two boys’ Youth

“I realized they were going to treat us

Villages counselor, says they were an

all the same whether it was a foster

easy match for Tina and Darryl.

In addition to the two teenage boys,

kid or a biological. I saw that as soon

Darryl and Tina have three biological

as I got here, and I thought, ‘I’m going

6

“And it wasn’t just the vacation,” Blake said. “If they went to town or

continued on next page

INAUGURATION DAY Youth Villages staff marches in parade

More than 40 staff members from Youth Villages’ Middle Tennessee offices and their families took to the streets of Nashville to participate in Gov. Bill Haslam’s inauguration parade. Haslam became Tennessee’s 49th governor and was inaugurated in January. In addition to Youth Villages’ staff, young people participating in Youth Villages’ programs donned black and red and walked the parade route to spread the message of YV’s presence in Tennessee.

TEENS FIND HOME WITH FORMER FOSTER CHILDREN from page 6 “I had worked with Blake

the defensive backfield for the

previously in another foster

local high school football team.

home, and when they began

Robert is also getting into

FOSTER PARENTS ARE NEEDED IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE The Nashville office is seeking foster parents for children in our care.

having some problems I imme-

football as a defensive lineman

diately thought of this family,”

for his middle school team,

training, monthly reimbursements to help offset

Amy said. “And one day after we

although sports is a new experi-

the costs of adding a child to your household and

returned him from respite here

ence for him.

ongoing, 24-hour support.

Youth Villages provides free foster parent

they called and said if he was

He enjoys working out and has

Youth Villages offers free orientation and

available they would like him to

put on 30 pounds of muscle since

training sessions at the Youth Villages offices in

stay. And it was the same with

arriving in the home. He is also

Nashville.

Robert.”

fond of cars, which plays right

Robert liked being with the

into Darryl’s favor.

family so much that he request-

“If you look out in the yard,

ed to be adopted by the family

you’ll notice it looks like a car lot

after a brief respite visit last fall.

out there,” he said, laughing.

“I never felt set apart from the family here,” Robert said.

Darryl and Tina are now considering adopting a third child.

Learn more about our foster care program, including dates of the next orientation and training sessions or to schedule a private orientation class by contacting Youth Villages.

In the Nasvhille area, contact Wendy Lunsford at 615-250-7282, or e-mail wendy.lunsford@youthvillages.org.

Today the two boys are en-

But this time they think it’s time

joying their new lives. Blake is

to bring in a girl to balance out

Johnson at 615-250-7318 or e-mail

outgoing and energetic, is filled

the family’s 5-2 male majority.

lauren.johnson@youthvillages.org.

In the Mid-Cumberland area, contact Lauren

with school spirit and plays in 7

TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM PART OF NATIONAL TRIAL Youth Villages’ transi-

Participants will be inter-

port. TL specialists help

are very few evidence-

tional living program is part

viewed periodically to track

young people secure hous-

based programs for this

of a national clinical trial to

their progress.

ing; pursue educational

population,” said Sarah

measure its effectiveness.

The study will involve

and employment goals;

Hurley, director of research

Conducted by MDRC

about 1,600 young people

access health and mental

at Youth Villages. “We hope

through grants from the

who will be randomly

health services; learn such

the evidence produced by

Edna McConnell Clark

assigned to TL or other

independent living skills

this study will help us con-

Foundation and the Bill &

community resources dur-

as budgeting, cooking,

vince states and others to

Melinda Gates Foundation,

ing the next two years. TL

cleaning and shopping; and

increase resources to meet

the study will evaluate the

services are available for

create and maintain healthy

the needs of young people

difference between the TL

young people 17-22 who are

relationships with family

entering this critical transi-

program and usual services

aging out of state custody

and others.

tion phase.”

available in the community.

and have little or no sup-

MCDILL FINDS FAMILIES from page 3 than three years, and leads an effort to solve these unique cases.

Youth Villages’ family finders program is modeled after the St. Louis Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition’s Extreme Recruitment, which seeks out the foster children who are the hardest to find homes for and matches them with permanent adoptive families in a fraction of the time it usually takes. The group hosted Charmaine Kromer, Youth Villages’ Middle Tennessee director of programs, and she believed the program could possibly help many of the Nashville area’s young people.

“Finding a permanent home for these youth requires more resources and more investigation,” Kromer said.

“It’s critical to their identity to find family members. Even if the family member isn’t able to adopt, visitation and communication with a family member help that youth make a connection with family they didn’t know they had.”

In about four months, McDill has been able to find family placements for six youth. Each story is unique, but all of them likely wouldn’t have happened without someone like McDill 8

“To my knowledge, there

devoting full attention to the case.

before. He told me he wanted to be

McDill’s first successful case in-

a father to his son. A paternity test

volved a girl who had been in and out

confirmed it and now, the 13-year-old

of foster care and group homes for

spends weekends visiting a father he

five years. She’d managed the turmoil

didn’t know he had, which is awe-

of her uncertain future well, and had

some.”

previous behavior issues under con-

Finding families involves a lot of trial

trol. But she had nowhere to go.

and error right now because there’s

“She had no interest in being

no set model that works every time.

adopted and no one had looked at

“I use what’s effective,” McDill said.

her case for some time,” McDill said.

“Each case is unique. We never set out

“Then, I got involved and met with her

looking for a placement option; we

and identified family members she

start out looking for supports for the

knew of.”

youth. They need to feel a connection

With the assistance of private investigators, McDill identified many extended family members interested

to relatives and family members, especially if there’s a past there.”

After being successful with six

in helping the girl. After interviewing

children, the program recently added

everyone, McDill identified an aunt

another staff member.

who had been previously overlooked

“The program is really taking off for

as a placement option. That aunt is

us so far,” Kromer said. “With the addi-

going through the process to adopt the

tion of another staff member, we’ll be

girl.

able to look into more cases and help

In another case, McDill located a

more young people.”

barber in Shelbyville who was identi-

It also exemplifies one of Youth Vil-

fied as a possible father for a youth

lages’ values: children are raised best

whose mother had recently been

by their families.

released from jail but wasn’t able to

“Before we go to work on a case,

take care of the child. After many

these children are known only by their

phone attempts to reach him failed,

names,” McDill said. “But when we

McDill drove to Shelbyville and found

find family help for them, they be-

his business.

come someone’s cousin or someone’s

“I walked in and said who I was,” she

nephew. They become someone a

said. “I spoke with him for a while and

family member cares about. It makes

found out he’d never been contacted

a huge difference.”

MANY PITCH IN TO HELP AUTUMN AT DAVID LIPSCOMB YV staff, college and community ensure Autumn

continues her

educational dreams Last spring, Autumn lived at Youth Villages’ Wallace group home for girls.

She was a junior in high school and making excellent grades while working a part-time job to save money for college and a car.

She visited the Dell facility, where she learned about the many different positions that Dell offers and was inspired to focus on computer engineering for college.

She also found out about David Lipscomb University’s two-week summer engineering course.

Autumn had the money and sent a letter to the university on why she would be a good fit for the program.

She wrote about living in 14 different foster homes in the course of five years, and how she overcame vari-

Autumn, center, in yellow, with Youth Villages staff during a reception for her where she received money to continue an engineering program at David Lipscomb University.

Word of Autumn’s situation spread,

ous obstacles to become a straight-A

and both volunteers

student.

and Youth Villages’

The university approved her application and things could not have been better. That’s when tragedy struck.

Autumn told him her story. Shortly after, the dean of admissions met with her again and told her David

to help.

aid did not for her tuition for all four

summer, Autumn’s mother unex-

campaign raised more than $750 in

pectedly passed away. Because she

cash, and the balance was given to

had no family support, Autumn

Autumn through money raised by

used the $2,500 she’d been saving

YV employees in the organization’s

for school to pay for her mother’s

Our Family Campaign.

The Our Family Campaign also

Autumn continued to work and fin-

provided an additional $500 to cover

ished school with straight As, but she

the cost of the summer engineering

now faced a much bigger challenge

program.

ing course, college and a car.

what brought her to the program.

Lipscomb University would cover

Youth Villages’ Friend In Need

of paying for the summer engineer-

to her, asked her who she was and

staff quickly acted

Just before the beginning of the

funeral.

the dean of admissions sat down next

While attending the program, Autumn was eating lunch one day and

the cost of whatever her financial years.

Autumn received her check for $2,530 at the Our Family Campaign kick-off last September; she asked if she could keep the big check and put it in her room as a reminder of all the wonderful things everyone has done for her.

Autumn begins David Lipscomb University this fall thanks to the generosity of volunteers and Youth Villages’ staff.

9

CONTRIBUTIONS The following donors made gifts to Youth Villages between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2010. 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.

YV Visionary ($50,000+) Dell Inc.

YV Pillar ($25,000 - $49,999) Healthways Inc. Dan and Margaret Maddox *OHYP[HISL ;Y\Z[ 4LTVYPHS Foundation

YV Builder ($10,000 - $24,999) )HW[PZ[ /LHSPUN ;Y\Z[ Clarcor Foundation Catharine D. Smith HCA Foundation

YV Family Champion ($5,000 - $9,999) Cracker Barrel Foundation 1VL * +H]PZ -V\UKH[PVU -PYZ[ ;LUULZZLL -V\UKH[PVU Panera Bread Foundation Betsy S. Walkup

YV Champion for Children ($1,000- $4,999) ([[PJ\Z ;Y\Z[ Best Buy Store #172 Paul Bower Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc Mike Bruns Dale Family Foundation Dr. M. Catherine Dundon EBS Foundation 4 :[YH[[VU -VZ[LY *OHYP[HISL Foundation Gannett Foundation Geny Insurance Agency >PSSPHT /HTI\YN Julia Ann Hawkins Page and Rodes Hart 9VIPU HUK )PSS 2PUN 3`UU HUK 2LU 4LSR\Z Pam Mueller-Fluent 5HZO]PSSL 7YLKH[VYZ -V\UKH[PVU

10

Thanks to our many supporters

5HZO]PSSL :[LLS *VYWVYH[PVU Candy and Bill Phillips Rogers Group Inc. Lisa S. Small and Elise Steiner ;LSLJVT 7PVULLYZ ;LUULZZLL Chapter #212 ;OL ;LTWSL *VUNYLNH[PVU VM 6OHIHP :OVSVT ;YP 4LK 7OHYTHJ` :LY]PJL 33* *OYPZ[P HUK 1H` ;\YULY <WWLY *\TILYSHUK 9LHS[VYZ Association Wal-Mart Foundation Reid and Linda Ward

YV Leader ($500 - $999)

AIG Matching Grants Program (SWOH ;H\ 6TLNH -YH[LYUP[` (\Z[PU 7LH` :[H[L <UP]LYZP[` *HKLUJL 4;* 33* Capitol Consultants Inc. Dee and Jerald Doochin Linda and Miles Ezell Futons, Futons, Futons LLC Gay Greer Jeff Harman Patricia and Rodes Hart Haygood Realty Company =PJ[VYPH /LPS HUK ,YPJ 9HLMZR` J. Reginald Hill /LSVPZL 2\OU Brent Lautenschlegar Francis Martin Meridian Surgical Partners NFIB Panera Bread Company Sandy Swofford +H]PK ;H`SVY :JV[[ ;YHJL` Walmart Foundation Simone Wright <): -PUHUJPHS :LY]PJLZ >`H[[ ;HYYHU[ *VTIZ 337

YV Friend (Gifts up to $499)

Brian Anderson Mr. and Mrs. John S. Andrews Ascend Management Ash Street Music Susan Baker Diane Balciar Nanci M. Barksdale Angela Barcelona 2HYLU )H[O Mollie Bird )HYIHYH 3 )P[[SLZ Anne Blankenship Joann Bostic Bonnie Boulding Charlie Blunt 2H[O` )YV^U Ryan Brown Frances and Allen Bryan +VSVYLZ *HISLY Sheila Calloway Christopher Capitani George Cate Jr. 4Y HUK 4YZ ;OVTHZ *H[V Mary Ellen Cheatwood Classic Cleaners 2HYPU + *VISL Christy Cohen

*VTIPULK -LKLYHS *HTWHPNU Community Health Charities VM ;LUULZZLL 0UJ Mary Cooper Jane Corcoran Carla Cotton 2HYLU *V\JO Martha Curtis 2H[O` +H]PZ 4H[[ +H]PZ 9 :JV[[ +H]PZ =PJRP +LUUPZ =H\NOHU +L7PSSV Betty and Marty Dickens ,SPaHIL[O +PJRPUZVU Brett Donner 2H[OSLLU +V`SL Renee Drinnon Bill Earthman 9VILY[ ,PZLUZ[LPU Susan Emory ERG General +H]PK ,]HUZ +\UJHU ,]L FCE Betheda Group John Fertitta Royce and James Fishel ;PZO -VY[ Cathey and Wilford Fuqua =HUHZ * .LVYNL ;LYY` .VPU Jeffrey Good *VYULSPH HUK /PSS .YHUILY` Johnny Gregory Mary Grochau 4Y HUK 4YZ ;OVTHZ .\HYKPUV HCA Healthcare Foundation DeeDee Hall 2LUUL[O /HUJVJR Grayson W. Harris Rodney Harris Anthony Hayes 2H[OSLLU /LUKLYZVU Senator Douglas Henry 1V +VU 2H[L /V\ZL Warren Hannas 2PYR /HUZVU Ginger Hickox Gary James Howell Linda H. Jameson Joann Jenkins Brandt Johnson 0]L[[L 1VOUZVU )HYIHYH : 1VULZ ;PT 2LSS` 1LUUPMLY 2PTH 2HYLU 2VWW .\Z + 2\OU 000 Anna LaCoste Patricia Lane Melinda Lankenau +Y HUK 4YZ /VYHJL 3H]LS` Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lenderman Jr. 9VILY[ 3LWSL` Bruce Lichius 4PJOLSL 3V]LSS Ross Lucas John G. Lucas 2YPZOUHTVVY[O` Madhusoodhanan Mikal Malik Harriet Mann Sarah Martin =HULZZH 4HY[PU )HYIHYH 4HZVU

Lynn and Jack May Julie McCall June McHugh Betsy McInnes 9VZL(UU HUK +H]PK 4J0U[VZO Glenda Merhoff 5HZO]PSSL :[LLS *VYWVYH[PVU Nissan 1LHU > 6SKÄLSK Lucy Owen Cathy and Josh Owsley Paragon ;YPSVN` 9LOHI :LY]PJLZ Christopher Patterson (KYPLUUL HUK )VI 7HYRLY James Pendergraft Jere and Al Phillips Betty Plank Louisa Pruitt ;VKK 9LKTVU Jason W. Reed *HUKHJL 9L]LSL[[L Linda Rock Janice Rodriguez Sara L. Rosson Jo Roth April Sackos ;VKK :JOV[[ Stephen Scott Joan Shayne Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Andria Sitar Eric Smith Frank Smith Esther Smith M. Jo Spalding Pershing Stahlman ;LYP :[VRLZ )YHUKVU :\SSP]HU ;PT :\YN\` Mack Sweeney *OLY`S ;L^ )YLUKH ;OVTHZ (UU ;OVTHZVU .YLN ;OVTWZVU 3LL (UU ;OVTWZVU =HSLYPL ;OVTWZVU )`YVU ;YH\NLY ;YP 4LK 7OHYTHJ` :LY]PJL 33* :OPYSL` ;YVJJVSP (SILY[ 7 =LHJO Dr. Mary Ellen Clinton Wade Mr. and Mrs. William Wadlington Bill Wallace Patricia Wallace Anne Whetsell Jennifer White Joe Whitt 1LYY` >PSIHURZ Amanda Williams ,SPaHIL[O >PSSPHTZ Sunny and Jim Williamson John Wilson Dorothy Wincenciak Anthony Winkle =LYL[[H >VVKZ United Way of Williamson County Christopher Young Marilyn Young Jian Zheng

JOIN OUR EFFORTS

Become a force for families

MEET THE YV LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Tarsha Clemons-Davis A native of Harriman, Tenn., Tarsha ClemonsDavis is a manager in client pro support services at Dell Inc. as well as a business process improvement mentor and champion. ClemonsDavis has spearheaded teams of Dell volunteers in helping the youth in the transitional living program, making improvements to the Wallace group home and supporting the Back-to-School and Christmas Holiday Heroes programs.

Bob Grimes Bob Grimes is the director of staff and community development for Turner Universal. Grimes began his career with Turner Universal in 2000 after completing 12 years of active service with the United States Army. He was appointed director of staff and community development in 2006. Bob has led the team of Turner volunteers for more than 6 years in filling the wish lists of hundreds of Middle Tennessee children through the Holiday Heroes program.

Louisa Pruitt

NEED INFORMATION ABOUT PLANNING A GIFT? Whether you’re planning a gift through your writing a will or by setting up a trust for Youth Villages or another non-profit, Youth Villages can help.

The Youth Villages website has information on donations and planned giving that may be valuable to you.

Simply visit youthvillages.org and click Donate, where you’ll find an introduction to planned giving. A category titled “How Can I…,” lists all the vehicles included in a plan, including wills and bequests, gifts of appreciated stock and gifts of real estate with examples.

In addition, there is a section on “why everyone needs a will,” a glossary of terms, an estate intention form and even a planned giving calculator to see what a planned gift would mean in your unique circumstances.

For more information, contact Marler Stone at 901-251-4820 or e-mail marler.stone@youthvillages.org.

Louisa Pruitt, a Nashville native, works as community and corporate relations coordinator at Bridgestone Americas Inc. in Nashville. She recently returned to school and is on track to earn a sociology degree from Tennessee State University this year. Pruitt’s teams of Bridgestone employees have generously supported the Friend in Need and Holiday Heroes campaigns and have provided on-site training opportunities for the youth in the transitional living program.

Kevin Thompson

Join our networks www.facebook.com/youthvillages

Youth Villages welcomes Kevin Thompson from the Young Leaders Council as an intern on the Middle Tennessee Leadership Council.

www.twitter.com/youthvillages

Thompson is an attorney specializing in providing legal services for startup direct sales organi-

www.youthvillages.wordpress.com

zations. In addition to his professional experience, Kevin brings an understanding and real passion for helping Youth Villages’ children and families.

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@6<;/ =033(.,: 3310 Perimeter Hill Drive Nashville, TN 37211 (KKYLZZ :LY]PJL 9LX\LZ[LK

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID YOUTH VILLAGES

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Founded in Memphis, Tenn., in 1986, Youth Villages has built a national reputation for offering the most effective proNYHTZ HUK ZLY]PJLZ [V OLSW LTV[PVUHSS` [YV\ISLK JOPSKYLU HUK [OLPY MHTPSPLZ ;OL WYP]H[L UVUWYVÄ[ VYNHUPaH[PVU WYV]PKLZ 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.