Youth Villages has come so far in our 15 years in New England and it’s because of you, our community of supporters, that we have impacted so many lives in extraordinary ways. Thanks to YOU, we raised $3.4 million in FY22 to make a difference for young people in our local communities.
With your generosity, we provided more than 400 students with the essential school supplies they need to achieve academic success through our Backpack Heroes initiative. Thank you!
Our Intercept® for Emergency Diversion program is evolving in exciting ways. What started as a pilot program in 2021 has become a burgeoning force in just over a year. We partnered with 20 hospitals across the Commonwealth to help keep children safe and align families with crisis counselors. We have diverted more than 100 youth from lengthy waits in emergency rooms and connected them with the intensive, in-person and compassionate support of our Intercept team.
I invite you to share these opportunities to get involved with your friends, family and community. Our Holiday Heroes initiative is right around the corner and supporters like you can become heroes by donating or buying holiday gifts and winter essentials. If you’d like to become a Holiday Hero, please contact jessica.fredriksen@youthvillages.org.
We cannot thank you enough for all you do. You are a true Force for Families!
Joanna Jacobson
Beth Klarman
Kristen Lucken
Pamela Giasson Lynch
Yvette Lowenthal
Mark O’Donnell
Malisa Schuyler
Wendy Vincent
Pramila Yadav, MD
Matt Stone
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MASSACHUSETTS & NEW HAMPSHIRE matthew.stone@youthvillages.org 781-937-7917
Youth Villages is a national leader in children’s mental and behavioral health, committed to building strong families, delivering effective services and significantly improving outcomes for children, families and young people involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems across the country. Founded in 1986, the organization’s 3,600 employees help more than 36,000 children annually in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Youth Villages has been recognized by the Harvard Business School and U.S. News & World Report and was identified by The White House as one of the nation’s most promising results-oriented nonprofit organizations.
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Elina spent her summer at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C., working on projects designed to increase wealth and financial mobility for lowerincome Americans.
She’s influencing policy and advocating for young people who experience foster care. Elina’s come a long way from the child who entered foster care at age 6.
Elina’s father was incarcerated soon after her birth; then, her mother left. She and her younger sibling entered the child welfare system, and it was a rocky journey. After several foster homes, Elina was adopted, but even there she faced abuse.
“I realized that if I wanted a chance at a somewhat normal life, I had to do something,” she said. “So, I did the only thing I knew how to do: I ran away.”
In the middle of her senior year of high school, Elina showed up on the steps of a homeless shelter and put herself back in foster care.
Long-time corporate partner, Two Men and a Truck, reunited former LifeSet participant, Brett, with Youth Villages. It only took 11 years and a moving truck to bring him back to the organization that helped change his life.
“LifeSet is such an incredible program,” Brett said. “There’s no way I’d be where I am today if I hadn’t been in LifeSet. I hope my specialist knows just how much she changed my life.”
At age 6, Brett entered foster care. After 11 years in group homes and different foster placements, finding a permanent home felt like it would never happen. Growing up in state care was difficult and when Brett aged out in 2009, he was determined to take the necessary steps toward successful adulthood. Brett got connected with the Youth Villages LifeSet program and was ready to navigate the transition from state services to independence.
Brett graduated from college and participated in the Youth Villages Job Prep program, a series of workshops that helps young adults build the skills they need to find and maintain employment. Brett discharged from LifeSet with the skills and knowledge he needed to start the next phase of his life and got a job as a delivery driver with national moving company, Two Men and a Truck.
Coincidentally, the company had been a long-time supporter of Youth Villages, working together to deliver thousands of backpacks and holiday gifts to young people in Youth Villages’ care.
In December 2020, Brett was reunited with Youth Villages when his work sent him to deliver 3,000 holiday gifts for young people in need across Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Brett was so excited to be back at the place that had given him so much as
a young adult and enthusiastically told the staff about the great experience he had in LifeSet.
Just a few months later, Brett became the first and only Two Men and a Truck employee in the company’s Boston North location to complete 1,000 moves. This earned him a spot in the 1,000 Move Club, and shortly after, Brett was promoted to operations manager.
“Even today, I use a lot of the skills I learned in LifeSet and in the Job Prep program,” Brett said. “I even still use the resume my LifeSet specialist helped me make all those years ago.”
Brett loaded and delivered over 400 backpacks to Youth Villages offices across Massachusetts and New Hampshire for this year’s Backpack Heroes program.
Over the past six years, the Youth Villages Leadership Council has had an extraordinary impact on Youth Villages. The volunteer group was started to spread awareness about Youth Villages and, over its tenure, it has done that and more. The group has raised $300,000 to help young people in our local communities and has introduced countless more volunteers and donors to our organization. Its annual hygiene kits drive has provided more than 250 young people with basic necessities and essentials in times of need.
The Leadership Council prides themselves on creating impactful volunteering, networking and awareness building initiatives to further the Youth Villages mission. Their Walk for Independence event was launched during the pandemic to continue raising funds for Youth Villages, even from home. In its second year, the virtual fundraiser raised $34,000 and had 175 participants in attendance. This past June, its inaugural Summer Sail attracted 75 attendees and raised $7,400 to provide backpacks and school supplies to young people in Youth Villages’ programs.
The Leadership Council can also be found in our Backpack Heroes and Holiday Heroes workshops, making sure that young people in our programs are getting their school supply needs and holiday wishes met. They promote these initiatives to their personal networks to ensure every young person in our programs that needs help receives it. They are professionals at using Instagram to promote our fundraisers, and their networks are always happy to jump in to help.
Why is it meaningful to be involved with this group? Emma Wright, chair of the Leadership Council says, “To start, Youth Villages does incredibly impactful work helping young people and families in Massachusetts and New Hampshire —being able to contribute to their success is beyond rewarding. I also feel extremely fortunate to collaborate with such generous and dedicated people, whether they are Youth Villages staff, my fellow Leadership Council members or volunteers. I leave each meeting and event inspired and with a new perspective about how to best support Youth Villages and the people it serves.”
Together, the group’s mission is to ensure children and young adults in Youth Villages’ programs have meaningful access to the resources and support systems they need to thrive. This group is a true force for families and their future is bright. They hope to continue to build a strong network of supporters and members that can continue to give back in a meaningful way.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can get involved in the Leadership Council, contact jessica.fredriksen@youthvillages.org.
Youth Villages’ Intercept and LifeSet programs garnered national attention in recent months from PBS Newshour and NPR Saturday Morning Edition.
The two stories honed in on issues facing our young people across the country, including mental health challenges, increase in youth suicides, access to mental health care and the need for comprehensive support for those aging out of foster care at 18.
You can watch the PBS Newshour piece and listen to NPR’s story by scanning the QR codes here.Jackie with her Intercept Supervisor Sydney Earle.
Help make the holiday joyful for children and young adults in Youth Villages’ programs by becoming a Holiday Hero today! Individual, group and corporate supporters are all welcome. Everyone can be a hero. Jessica Fredriksen, Asst. Dir. of Development jessica.fredriksen@youthvillages.org | 315-256-7705 youthvillages.org/holidayheroes
Jenny Mak and Rob Swartz
When we think of donors who have fully embraced Youth Villages in all facets of their lives, Rob Swartz and Jenny Mak are two of the first names that come to mind. The couple got involved with Youth Villages because the mission resonated with their personal beliefs, and they had an intense need to drive change for young people and families. Throughout their years of involvement with Youth Villages, Rob became the treasurer of the Youth Villages Leadership Council and led a project to strengthen the efficiency and output of our Backpack
Heroes and Holiday Heroes campaigns; and Jenny, a past member of our Leadership Council, always supports our events and initiatives. Both Rob and Jenny attend Youth Villages events and go above and beyond to help our young people.
“Giving and supporting is more important now than ever,” Rob and Jenny said. “The connectivity we’ve found with Youth Villages and the quality events make it easy for us to continue to be involved. Hearing about the experiences from program participants and knowing the importance of Youth Villages and how it impacts children, families and young adults makes us want to do even more.”
Matt Stone, executive director of Youth Villages Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is incredibly grateful to have supporters like Rob and Jenny behind our organization. “We cannot thank Rob and Jenny enough for all they do,” Matt said. “They are core to our foundation, and the positive impact they have had on young people is monumental.”
In addition to their work with Youth Villages, Rob and Jenny are avid Boston sports fans and can be found cheering on their home teams in their free time. They also love to travel, and we congratulate them on their upcoming wedding.
JANUARY 1 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2022
Lovett-Woodsum Foundation
$100,000+
Accelerate the Future Foundation
$50,000 to $99,999
Anonymous Anonymous Cummings Foundation Barbara and Amos Hostetter
Ludke Foundation
Stephanie and Brian Spector
$25,000 to $49,999
Amy and David Abrams CREF
$10,000 to $24,999
Anonymous (4)
Pamela and Scott Aldsworth
Michelle and Bob Atchinson
Monica and Peter Campanella Stephanie Dodson Cornell and Jamie Cornell
Amy and Darrell Crate
Amanda Eisel and John Becker
Barbara and Michael Eisenson
Lisa and Michael Josephson
Yvette Lowenthal
Kristen and Kent Lucken Kristin and Paul Marcus
Peter Mulderry
One8 Foundation
Dana and Rob Smith
$5,000 to $9,999
Altar’d State Susan and Stephen Burbage
The Baker Committee Herbert Dike Rekha and Ryan Hayden Mark Healy Karen and Mark Kuzminskas Frances Lawler
Patrick Lawler Leader Bank Charitable Foundation iQvestment LLC Anne and Paul Marcus PwC
Judy and Frederick Schmid Elizabeth and Matt Scholder Jill and Michael Stansky Rob Swartz and Jenny Mak
The Sweetser Family Pramila Yadav, MD
$1,000 to $4,999
Arnold Worldwide Inc. Michael Curtis eGenesis, Inc.
Eisner Advisory Group LLC Jason Hayes Foundation Damon Harrell Safraz Ishamael Janice and Ralph James Erin Geraghty Kapoor and Rohan Kapoor Aga Kierner Pam and Jesse Klein Yunping Li, MD Pamela and Tom Lynch Katie and Onnie Mayshak Shilpa and Sumit Mehra Mark-David Munk Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP Monna and Ajay Nanavati Melissa Ocasio and Gio Santiago Jenna and Mark O’Donnell Kate and Max Pinto Vamon Rao
Richard Shaw Anita and Rishi Shukla Ellie Starr
Liza Stutts
Marylou Sudders and Bradley Richardson Daniel Sweeney
Charu Taneja and Tony Madan TJX Foundation Inc. Marcella and Mike Vallarelli Wendy and Andy Vincent
781-937-7900.
YOUNG ADULTS SERVED THROUGH LIFESET
“Right at my lowest, I was introduced to the LifeSet program,” she said. “Through my group home, I was linked with a specialist who started our first meeting asking about the goals I wanted to achieve. Up until that moment, no one had asked me about what I wanted or needed.”
LifeSet helped Elina begin to think seriously about what she wanted to do with her life. “It provided me support every step of the way. From setting up a checking account to getting connected with quality mental health care... Having such a healthy and sustainable relationship with this program ultimately taught me that I am capable and worthy of connection and compassion and support.”
After graduating high school, Elina became a LifeSet Scholar, where LifeSet participants receive extra support from Youth Villages as they pursue higher education or vocational certification. In the program, Elina was matched with a Youth Villages staff member as a mentor. She completed a four-year degree with a double major in international studies and English literature and double minors in human rights and economics. “I can say with confidence that without LifeSet, I simply would not have that accomplishment under my belt,” Elina said.
After graduation, Elina thought through what she wanted to do next with her specialist and mentor.
“I realized that I want to be part of the solutions in making our societies more just for the most vulnerable,” she said.
As she goes back to school this fall to complete her master’s degree, Elina will continue to receive support from the LifeSet Scholars program.
“I’m forever grateful to those who showed me love even when I felt unlovable and saw things in me that I couldn’t see myself. I’m here because of them,” she said.
There
Dilly,
12 Gill Street, Suite 5800
Woburn, MA 01801
(Address Service Requested)
Youth Villages is a private nonprofit that serves more than 36,000 children and their families each year from offices in the following cities:
Alabama: Auburn, Birmingham, Mobile
Arkansas: Jonesboro, Searcy, West Memphis (Fort Smith and Little Rock coming soon!)
Florida: Lakeland
Georgia: Atlanta, Douglasville
Indiana: Bloomington, Columbus, Indianapolis
Louisiana: Metairie
Kentucky: Lexington, Louisville/Jeffersonville (Indiana)
Massachusetts: Boston, Worcester, West Springfield, Raynham, Woburn (Cape Space coming soon!)
Mississippi: Biloxi, Greenwood, Hattiesburg, Hernando, Jackson, Meridian, Tupelo
New Hampshire: Manchester, Plymouth
North Carolina: Asheville, Boone, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Louisburg, Raleigh-Durham, Waynesville, Wilmington
Ohio: Worthington
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Oregon: Bend, Portland, Salem
Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dickson, Dyersburg, Jackson, Johnson City, Knoxville, Memphis, Morristown, Nashville, Paris Washington, D.C.
New Heights is published by Youth Villages
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