As part of the collective effort led by Give an Hour, Youth Villages joined 50 other campaign partners in this effort with its pledge to spread awareness of the five signs of emotional suffering to the 23,000 children it helps each year and their families. The organization will use its 2,700 staff and all of its communication channels to spread the word to donors, volunteers, mentors and foster and adoptive parents.

Inspired by discussions at the White House National Conference on Mental Health in 2013, “Change Direction” is a response to the way society addresses mental health. One in five Americans lives with a diagnosable mental health condition, and it is expected that more Americans will die by suicide than in car accidents this year.

“Youth Villages is proud to join this important effort because recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental illness is so important to the well-being of America’s children and families,” said Tim Goldsmith, Ph.D, chief clinical officer for Youth Villages. “Mental illness can limit a child’s potential for success, but effective help is available. Recognizing the signs of illness early can make all the difference in getting the right help.”

The campaign launched at a mental health summit at the Newseum on March 4, which included a keynote address from First Lady Michelle Obama, an appearance by Academy Award-winning producer of “Silver Linings Playbook,” Brue Cohen, and a performance by G.R.L., a musical girl group that was personally touched by the issue when their lead singer, Simone Battle, committed suicide in September 2014.

“Give an Hour is proud to lead this collective impact effort of partners from every sector of society as we change the direction of mental health in our nation,” said Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour. “By creating a shared mission, by educating Americans about the five signs of emotional suffering, by encouraging compassion and action, we can change our culture to reflect what we know to be true—that mental health is not something to be afraid of or embarrassed about.”

Youth Villages encourages individuals and other organizations to “help change the direction” of mental health in our country and let your voices be heard by joining us in making a pledge, however large or small. The simplest pledge is one that anyone can do: Learn the five signs of emotional suffering so you can recognize them in yourself or help a loved one who may be in emotional pain. To learn more or to make a pledge to Change Direction, visit www.changedirection.org.

About The Campaign to Change Direction
The Campaign to Change Direction initiative is a collection of concerned citizens, nonprofit leaders, and leaders from the private sector who have come together to create a new story in America about mental health, mental illness, and wellness. This initiative was inspired by the discussion at the White House National Conference on Mental Health in 2013, which came on the heels of the Newtown tragedy.

Mentors enjoyed a Cajun and Creole buffet provided by Owen Brennan’s. The mentoring department presented each mentor with a certificate and gave away Youth Villages items as door prizes. Guests heard from a current mentor and mentee, who shared how their mentoring experience has been a rewarding experience for both of them.

The mentoring department also welcomed Elliot Perry, former University of Memphis and Memphis Grizzlies basketball player, as the guest speaker on behalf of the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation, a partner of the Youth Villages Chris Crye Mentoring Program. Perry shared his own experience of having a childhood mentor who positively influenced him and helped him become successful.

All guests had a great time sharing their mentoring experiences with each other. The dinner was generously sponsored by Concero Resources.

Youth Villages Mentor Melanie (right) takes a break from Zumba with her mentee, Melissa

Written by Melanie Manns, Youth Villages mentor

“The amazing thing I continue to learn most of all about the mentoring experience is that you receive more than you give.”

The amazing thing I continue to learn most of all about the mentoring experience is that you receive more than you give. It’s completely rewarding to spend quality time with remarkable young people who despite troubling conditions, are so determined, smart and talented.

My mentee and I spend time once or twice a month, usually on the weekends, when I take her on outings. However, one of my most memorable moments was when my mentee unexpectedly called me early on the morning of my birthday and serenaded me by singing happy birthday. It was the first call I received that day. She did not know that I had recently lost a loved one who was not only a mentor, but a mother figure to me when I was aging out of foster care. This special person would call me every year early in the morning on my birthday and she would serenade to me singing happy birthday! I had thought this birthday would be a sad one, as it would be the first birthday that would not start with the normal call from my dear loved one. Instead, I was reminded of my loved one in a special way, as, unknown to my mentee, she comforted me through her random act of kindness and expression of love. This is one of the many examples of rewards that have come out of my mentoring relationship. For me, what started off as a mentoring relationship developed into a friendship.

There are boys on the waiting list for male mentors now at the Youth Villages-Inner Harbour Campus in Douglasville, Ga. For information, contact Katrina Word (left), Youth Villages volunteer and mentor coordinator: 770-852-6328 or email.

It didn’t take long for Katrina Word to realize the children at the Youth Villages-Inner Harbour Campus needed to see how much those in the community cared about them.

“They were thirsty for outside attention,” she said. “They behaved so well with outside people and individual attention.”

Not long before that, Katrina was a manager at a local bank and decided to change careers.

“You don’t walk away from finance, but I realized I didn’t want to do it any more,” she said. “I wanted to help children and saw an opportunity to pursue my dream.”

She returned to school and earned a second degree, then went to Youth Villages-Inner Harbour as an AmeriCorps volunteer. That was when she saw the need for a mentoring program. Katrina has grown the program from a few mentors and mentees to more than 40 children with mentors. In addition to the mentoring program, she hosts corporate visits to the campus as well as helping with development and community outreach.

But through mentoring, Katrina sees the biggest effect on the children.

“One child at Youth Villages-Inner Harbour was from another state,” she said. “He didn’t have family and friends visiting regularly, and like most teens, wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life. One of the teacher-counselors at Youth Villages-Inner Harbour agreed to become his mentor. They talked a lot and worked out together at the mentor’s gym. The mentor asked the boy to strive for more, and now this young man is attending college near his home. He needed a male role model, and thanks to our mentor, this young man found avenues to success he would’ve never thought of on his own or in a group setting. It took that one-on-one time with a mentor for him to begin to realize his potential.”

Mentors go through a background and reference check and are then matched with a child with complementary needs or interests. They meet at least one hour each week with their mentees.

“We’re not asking for a mentor to be a preacher or a parental figure,” Katrina said. “The children just need someone to be there and spend time with them. It is amazing to see how the kids transform through mentoring.”

One mentor went through training and became a foster parent for his mentee, eventually adopting him. The mentee mentioned earlier is pursuing a degree to become a youth counselor or social worker.

“Our mentors are incredible, and every one of them brings their own magic,” Katrina said. “The children do better in school, but most importantly, the kids are happier.”

Happy Holidays from Youth Villages! Thank you for supporting our work as The Force for Families.

For tickets and more information, visit www.soupsunday.org.

Monica, right, with mentee Crystal

Monica Richardson recently was nominated for a Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Award, hosted by HandsOn Nashville. Mary Catherine Strobel was a community volunteer who led charitable efforts to serve others who were less fortunate. The awards were created in honor of Strobel.

“There were so many amazing people there with amazing stories,” Monica said. “I was so honored to be there.”

Only a few years before, she had little interest in being a mentor. Monica was a foster parent trainer and recruiter for Youth Villages in the Clarksville office. She now works with Phoenix Homes adoption services in Nashville.

“At Youth Villages, being a mentor was talked about a lot,” she said. “But I kept telling myself I didn’t have the time.”

She’d only been with Youth Villages for a few weeks when she was warned to be on the lookout for a girl who’d run away. The story, as Monica tells it, begins when Crystal, then about 13, showed up at the Clarksville office.

“She needed a mentor,” she said. “We kind of connected right there.”

“Monica’s like a big sister to me,” Crystal said. “She helps me out with everything.”

They’ve had to scale back their visits to once a month because they live so far apart. But they stay close by phoning weekly, sometimes more. They’ve been together going on three years.

Monica says her personal and spiritual journey is about learning. And in dealing with others through social services and mentoring, she has great opportunities.

“I’m able to learn so much from others and their stories,” Monica said. “Even as Crystal has matured and become more of an adult, I still learn about what’s important to her and what her priorities are.”

Learn how you can become a mentor at www.youthvillages.org/mentor.

Being able to give is an integral part of our relationships with one another.

Youth Villages Board Chairman Mike Bruns (left) and CEO Pat Lawler (right)

For families, giving is a result of love and trust. And it’s about sharing experiences and emotions and frustrations with those who have close ties and strong bonds. In many ways, that is what Youth Villages strives to do with children and families – restore that trust and ability to share.

That’s why our work is challenging and rewarding. Our staff is committed to helping every child succeed, to learn how to trust others again. Your support of our programs helps ensure we’re not only able to continue that important work, but expand it to help more children and families.

Our footprints of success are left in all the communities we serve, and our efforts are being recognized. A new book by Thomas Tierney and Joel Fleishman, titled “Give Smart: Philanthropy That Gets Results,” provides practical guidance for donors who want to get the most impact from their giving. It’s a great honor for Youth Villages to be included as an example of an organization that delivers real results for the investment donors make in us. Journalist and author David Bornstein recently wrote about Youth Villages in the New York Times’ “Opinionator” blog, highlighting why Youth Villages focuses on helping troubled children in their homes in partnership with the child’s family and extended support systems.

Recognition like this is wonderful – especially for our frontline staff who works so hard for children and families.

But for me, the real joy comes from meeting with children and families who have completed our programs. You can see and feel their energy as they discuss their experiences and their emotions. They speak of their past simply as it was and discuss a future of promise and success. They finish each other’s sentences. Most importantly, they laugh.

They interact.

They share.

Patrick W. Lawler
Youth Villages Chief Executive Officer

Give to Youth Villages today and our matching gift partner, AutoZone, will double its impact!

If we reach our goal of $20,000 by June 23, 2011 — and we can do it, with your help — AutoZone will match it, giving us a grand total of $40,000 to support our life-changing work.

Please give what you can today.

Donate here.

UPDATE 6/23: Thanks to our generous individual donors, we have met and exceeded our goal, raising $24,353! With the matching gift of $20,000 by our partner AutoZone, our grand total of $44,353 will benefit the children and families we serve. Thank you for being a force for families!