HOLIDAY HEROESMiddle Tennessee helps ensure children have happy holidays

page 4

FAMILY FINDERProgram locates family for children page 3

Right at home

page 6

Family  Victories  from  Youth  Villages  Middle  TennesseeSpring 2011

Transitional living program part of national trial...3

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

Youth Villages supports inauguration parade...8

2

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

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 tran-

sitional 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 transi-

tion to independent adult living. Our TL program has experienced rapid growth

during the past several months. We help more than 300 young people in Tennes-

see 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.

A  Message  

from  Our  CEO

More ways to help children and families

Mike Bruns, ChairmanRonnie Randall, Vice ChairmanPaul Bower, TreasurerJimmy Lackie, SecretaryJim Barton Jr.Eric BoltonKenneth CampbellMarietta DavisLewis HollandJohn HutchinsJoanna JacobsonRev. Robert Earl JonesBryan JordanKarole LloydMark MedfordJim ParrishJohnny PittsRay PohlmanJennifer QueenMatthew TarkentonDavid TylerBetsy WalkupGeorge WhitePatrick Lawler, CEO

Bill Hamburg, Co-ChairmanBetsy Walkup, Co-ChairmanKaren BakerJudy CaplanGeorge Cate Jr.Tarsha ClemonsMary CooperVaughan DePilloBob GrimesMary GrochauJeff HarmanJulia Ann HawkinsChris KimlerElena PerezLaura PerkinsLouisa PruittLisa SmallKevin ThompsonLele ThompsonPat WallaceJeremy Werthan

YOUTH VILLAGES BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MIDDLE TENNESSEE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Patrick W. Lawler

pat.lawler@youthvillages.org(901) 251-5000

ClarksvilleNashville

Cookeville

Columbia

Dickson

Linden

3

MIDDLE TENNESSEE PROGRAM SUCCESS

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD

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. 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

everything.

Roots, a sense of who you are and where you came from,

are important as

children mature into

young adults and

strive for indepen-

dence. In addition,

family ideally brings

a sense of trust, a

person or group of

people who can be

counted on.

Children who have

been in foster care

or at a group home

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

MCDILL SEARCHES FOR FAMILY TO HELP FOSTER CHILDREN

Each story is unique,

but all of them likely

wouldn’t have

happened without

someone like McDill

devoting full attention

to the case.

continued on page 8

Garrett McDill

Program  Success

outcomes of children and families participating in its programs since 1994.

Backpack Heroes: Many children in Youth Villages’

programs live well below the poverty line and most can-

not 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 busi-

ness 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.

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 liv-ing program for young adults. Holiday Heroes in Middle Tennes-see include Healthways, Bridgestone Firestone, Turner Universal, NFIB, AT&T, Dell Inc. and Unity Hair Salon.

HOLIDAY HEROES

4

A  great  time  helping  children  in  need

5

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 transi-

tional 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 over-

whelmed 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 re-

ceived, we were able to bring joy to

more children

than ever be-

fore, including

many who came

to us at the last

minute,” Bryan

said. “We can’t

thank everyone

enough.”

As Tina discusses a school English

paper with one child, another stands

at the kitchen sink washing dishes

from the evening meal. Another sib-

ling 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 impor-

tance 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 be-

came ill in Arizona and was declared

unable to raise her seven children

when he was only 9. Perhaps it was

these experiences that led them to

better understand how foster children

should be treated.

“We don’t treat a foster

kid any different than

we do our own,” Darryl

said. “We talk to them

the same, get onto them

the same and we expect

the same out of them.”

In addition to the two teenage boys,

Darryl and Tina have three biological

children: two who still reside in the

home and a third in the Air Force in

Texas. But it’s difficult to tell which

are the biological children if you don’t

already know.

“They brought me in and treated me

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

seven months since I’ve been here,

I have never once considered this a

foster home.”

Blake has similar feelings.

“When I came here it didn’t neces-

sarily feel like a foster family,” he said.

“I realized they were going to treat us

all the same whether it was a foster

kid or a biological. I saw that as soon

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

to be here for awhile.”

This is a welcome change for both

children. Blake never felt like part of

the family at all in his previous foster

home, Darryl said.

“When we first got Blake on respite,

they [the previous foster family] were

going on vacation,” Darryl said.

“And it wasn’t just the vacation,”

Blake said. “If they went to town or

something, they left me at the house.

It’s never been that way here.”

Amy Hawkins, the two boys’ Youth

Villages counselor, says they were an

easy match for Tina and Darryl.

6

A GOOD HOME ALWAYS HAS ROOM FOR A FEW MOREFormer  foster  children  treat  young  people  as  their  own

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.

continued on next page

7

“I had worked with Blake

previously in another foster

home, and when they began

having some problems I imme-

diately thought of this family,”

Amy said. “And one day after we

returned him from respite here

they called and said if he was

available they would like him to

stay. And it was the same with

Robert.”

Robert liked being with the

family so much that he request-

ed to be adopted by the family

after a brief respite visit last fall.

“I never felt set apart from the

family here,” Robert said.

Today the two boys are en-

joying their new lives. Blake is

outgoing and energetic, is filled

with school spirit and plays in

the defensive backfield for the

local high school football team.

Robert is also getting into

football as a defensive lineman

for his middle school team,

although sports is a new experi-

ence for him.

He enjoys working out and has

put on 30 pounds of muscle since

arriving in the home. He is also

fond of cars, which plays right

into Darryl’s favor.

“If you look out in the yard,

you’ll notice it looks like a car lot

out there,” he said, laughing.

Darryl and Tina are now con-

sidering adopting a third child.

But this time they think it’s time

to bring in a girl to balance out

the family’s 5-2 male majority.

TEENS FIND HOME WITH FORMER FOSTER CHILDRENfrom page 6

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.

The Nashville office is seeking foster parents

for children in our care.

Youth Villages provides free foster parent

training, monthly reimbursements to help offset

the costs of adding a child to your household and

ongoing, 24-hour support.

Youth Villages offers free orientation and

training sessions at the Youth Villages offices in

Nashville.

Learn more about our foster care program, in-

cluding 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 Lun-

sford at 615-250-7282, or e-mail

wendy.lunsford@youthvillages.org.

In the Mid-Cumberland area, contact Lauren

Johnson at 615-250-7318 or e-mail

lauren.johnson@youthvillages.org.

FOSTER PARENTS ARE NEEDED IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE

8

than three years, and leads an effort to

solve these unique cases.

Youth Villages’ family finders pro-

gram 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 fami-

lies in a fraction of the time it usually

takes. The group hosted Charmaine

Kromer, Youth Villages’ Middle Ten-

nessee 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, visita-

tion and communication with a family

member help that youth make a con-

nection 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 hap-

pened without someone like McDill

devoting full attention to the case.

McDill’s first successful case in-

volved a girl who had been in and out

of foster care and group homes for

five years. She’d managed the turmoil

of her uncertain future well, and had

previous behavior issues under con-

trol. But she had nowhere to go.

“She had no interest in being

adopted and no one had looked at

her case for some time,” McDill said.

“Then, I got involved and met with her

and identified family members she

knew of.”

With the assistance of private

investigators, McDill identified many

extended family members interested

in helping the girl. After interviewing

everyone, McDill identified an aunt

who had been previously overlooked

as a placement option. That aunt is

going through the process to adopt the

girl.

In another case, McDill located a

barber in Shelbyville who was identi-

fied as a possible father for a youth

whose mother had recently been

released from jail but wasn’t able to

take care of the child. After many

phone attempts to reach him failed,

McDill drove to Shelbyville and found

his business.

“I walked in and said who I was,” she

said. “I spoke with him for a while and

found out he’d never been contacted

before. He told me he wanted to be

a father to his son. A paternity test

confirmed it and now, the 13-year-old

spends weekends visiting a father he

didn’t know he had, which is awe-

some.”

Finding families involves a lot of trial

and error right now because there’s

no set model that works every time.

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

“Each case is unique. We never set out

looking for a placement option; we

start out looking for supports for the

youth. They need to feel a connection

to relatives and family members, espe-

cially if there’s a past there.”

After being successful with six

children, the program recently added

another staff member.

“The program is really taking off for

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

tion of another staff member, we’ll be

able to look into more cases and help

more young people.”

It also exemplifies one of Youth Vil-

lages’ values: children are raised best

by their families.

“Before we go to work on a case,

these children are known only by their

names,” McDill said. “But when we

find family help for them, they be-

come someone’s cousin or someone’s

nephew. They become someone a

family member cares about. It makes

a huge difference.”

MCDILL FINDS FAMILIESfrom page 3

Youth Villages’ transi-

tional living program is part

of a national clinical trial to

measure its effectiveness.

Conducted by MDRC

through grants from the

Edna McConnell Clark

Foundation and the Bill &

Melinda Gates Foundation,

the study will evaluate the

difference between the TL

program and usual services

available in the community.

Participants will be inter-

viewed periodically to track

their progress.

The study will involve

about 1,600 young people

who will be randomly

assigned to TL or other

community resources dur-

ing the next two years. TL

services are available for

young people 17-22 who are

aging out of state custody

and have little or no sup-

port. TL specialists help

young people secure hous-

ing; pursue educational

and employment goals;

access health and mental

health services; learn such

independent living skills

as budgeting, cooking,

cleaning and shopping; and

create and maintain healthy

relationships with family

and others.

“To my knowledge, there

are very few evidence-

based programs for this

population,” said Sarah

Hurley, director of research

at Youth Villages. “We hope

the evidence produced by

this study will help us con-

vince states and others to

increase resources to meet

the needs of young people

entering this critical transi-

tion phase.”

TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM PART OF NATIONAL TRIAL

9

MANY PITCH IN TO HELP AUTUMN AT DAVID LIPSCOMB

Last spring, Autumn lived at Youth

Villages’ Wallace group home for

girls.

She was a junior in high school and

making excellent grades while work-

ing a part-time job to save money for

college and a car.

She visited the Dell facility, where

she learned about the many differ-

ent 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 differ-

ent foster homes in the course of five

years, and how she overcame vari-

ous obstacles to become a straight-A

student.

The university approved her ap-

plication and things could not have

been better. That’s when tragedy

struck.

Just before the beginning of the

summer, Autumn’s mother unex-

pectedly passed away. Because she

had no family support, Autumn

used the $2,500 she’d been saving

for school to pay for her mother’s

funeral.

Autumn continued to work and fin-

ished school with straight As, but she

now faced a much bigger challenge

of paying for the summer engineer-

ing course, college and a car.

Word of Autumn’s

situation spread,

and both volunteers

and Youth Villages’

staff quickly acted

to help. Youth Villages’ Friend In Need

campaign raised more than $750 in

cash, and the balance was given to

Autumn through money raised by

YV employees in the organization’s

Our Family Campaign.

The Our Family Campaign also

provided an additional $500 to cover

the cost of the summer engineering

program.

While attending the program, Au-

tumn was eating lunch one day and

the dean of admissions sat down next

to her, asked her who she was and

what brought her to the program.

Autumn told him her story. Short-

ly after, the dean of admissions met

with her again and told her David

Lipscomb University would cover

the cost of whatever her financial

aid did not for her tuition for all four

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.

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.

Y V  staff,  college  

and  community    

ensure  Autumn  

continues  her    

educational  dreams

10

CONTRIBUTIONS Thanks  to  our  many  supporters

YV Visionary ($50,000+)

Dell Inc.

YV Pillar ($25,000 - $49,999)

Healthways Inc.Dan and Margaret Maddox

Foundation

YV Builder ($10,000 - $24,999)

Clarcor FoundationCatharine D. SmithHCA Foundation

YV Family Champion ($5,000 - $9,999)

Cracker Barrel Foundation

Panera Bread FoundationBetsy S. Walkup

YV Champion for Children ($1,000- $4,999)

Best Buy Store #172Paul Bower

Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc Mike Bruns

Dale Family FoundationDr. M. Catherine Dundon

EBS Foundation

FoundationGannett Foundation

Geny Insurance Agency

Julia Ann HawkinsPage and Rodes Hart

Pam Mueller-Fluent

Candy and Bill PhillipsRogers Group Inc.

Lisa S. Small and Elise Steiner

Chapter #212

AssociationWal-Mart FoundationReid and Linda Ward

YV Leader($500 - $999)

AIG Matching Grants Program

Capitol Consultants Inc.Dee and Jerald Doochin

Linda and Miles EzellFutons, Futons, Futons LLC

Gay GreerJeff Harman

Patricia and Rodes HartHaygood Realty Company

J. Reginald Hill

Brent LautenschlegarFrancis Martin

Meridian Surgical PartnersNFIB

Panera Bread CompanySandy Swofford

Walmart FoundationSimone Wright

YV Friend (Gifts up to $499)

Brian AndersonMr. and Mrs. John S. Andrews

Ascend ManagementAsh Street Music

Susan BakerDiane Balciar

Nanci M. BarksdaleAngela Barcelona

Mollie Bird

Anne BlankenshipJoann Bostic

Bonnie BouldingCharlie Blunt

Ryan BrownFrances and Allen Bryan

Sheila CallowayChristopher Capitani

George Cate Jr.

Mary Ellen CheatwoodClassic Cleaners

Christy Cohen

Community Health Charities

Mary CooperJane CorcoranCarla Cotton

Martha Curtis

Betty and Marty Dickens

Brett Donner

Renee DrinnonBill Earthman

Susan EmoryERG General

FCE Betheda GroupJohn Fertitta

Royce and James Fishel

Cathey and Wilford Fuqua

Jeffrey Good

Johnny GregoryMary Grochau

HCA Healthcare FoundationDeeDee Hall

Grayson W. HarrisRodney HarrisAnthony Hayes

Senator Douglas Henry

Warren Hannas

Ginger HickoxGary James HowellLinda H. Jameson

Joann JenkinsBrandt Johnson

Anna LaCostePatricia Lane

Melinda Lankenau

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lenderman Jr.

Bruce Lichius

Ross LucasJohn G. Lucas

MadhusoodhananMikal Malik

Harriet MannSarah Martin

Lynn and Jack MayJulie McCall

June McHughBetsy McInnes

Glenda Merhoff

Nissan

Lucy OwenCathy and Josh Owsley

Paragon

Christopher Patterson

James PendergraftJere and Al Phillips

Betty PlankLouisa Pruitt

Jason W. Reed

Linda RockJanice RodriguezSara L. Rosson

Jo RothApril Sackos

Stephen Scott Joan Shayne

Sigma Gamma Rho SororityAndria SitarEric Smith

Frank SmithEsther Smith

M. Jo SpaldingPershing Stahlman

Mack Sweeney

Dr. Mary Ellen Clinton WadeMr. and Mrs. William

WadlingtonBill Wallace

Patricia WallaceAnne WhetsellJennifer White

Joe Whitt

Amanda Williams

Sunny and Jim WilliamsonJohn Wilson

Dorothy WincenciakAnthony Winkle

United Way of Williamson County

Christopher YoungMarilyn Young

Jian Zheng

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 contribu-

tions. If you made a contri-

bution during this time but it

is not listed, please call the

Youth Villages development

department at 615-250-7207.

Join our networks

www.facebook.com/youthvillages

www.twitter.com/youthvillages

www.youthvillages.wordpress.com

11

MEET THE YV LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

A native of Harriman, Tenn., Tarsha Clemons-

Davis is a manager in client pro support ser-

vices at Dell Inc. as well as a business process

improvement mentor and champion. Clemons-

Davis 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.

Tarsha Clemons-DavisWhether 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 ap-

preciated 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.

NEED INFORMATION ABOUT PLANNING A GIFT?

JOIN OUR EFFORTS Become  a  force  for  families

Bob Grimes is the director of staff and commu-

nity 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.

Bob Grimes

Louisa Pruitt, a Nashville native, works as

community and corporate relations coordinator

at Bridgestone Americas Inc. in Nashville. She re-

cently 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.

Louisa Pruitt

Youth Villages welcomes Kevin Thompson

from the Young Leaders Council as an intern

on the Middle Tennessee Leadership Council.

Thompson is an attorney specializing in provid-

ing legal services for startup direct sales organi-

zations. In addition to his professional experi-

ence, Kevin brings an understanding and real

passion for helping Youth Villages’ children and families.

Kevin Thompson

3310 Perimeter Hill Drive

Nashville, TN 37211

Alabama:Arkansas:Florida:Georgia:Massachusetts:Mississippi:New Hampshire: ManchesterNorth Carolina:Tennessee:

Texas: DallasWashington, D.C.

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDYOUTH VILLAGES

Founded in Memphis, Tenn., in 1986, Youth Villages has built a national reputation for offering the most effective pro-

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.