The evening featured stories from musician and New York Times best-selling author Jimmy Wayne and Tristin, a participant in YVLifeSet, a Youth Villages program helping youth aging out of foster care find long-term success. Nan Gray, regional marketing director for Sprint, and Ramona Holloway, co-host of the Matt & Ramona Show, were also on hand to help emcee the event.

“Even though others [my family] might not see me as a great person, there are a thousand other people that approve of you. Youth Villages taught me that I can be a great person,” Tristin said.

At the close of the evening, Youth Villages North Carolina presented Jimmy Wayne the inaugural KiteTales Award to recognize him for his work with foster children throughout the country and particularly in his home state of North Carolina.

Youth Villages is grateful for the generous support of Coca-Cola Consolidated and Piedmont Natural Gas as lead sponsors of the event.

“Coca-Cola Consolidated is proud to support Youth Villages as they aim to help every youth aging out of foster care in Charlotte,” said Dave Katz, senior vice president, Coca-Cola Consolidated.

“Youth Villages and YVLifeSet are providing one of the country’s best approaches to helping former foster care kids. Piedmont Natural Gas is honored to support their efforts and the KiteTales event,” said Timothy Greenhouse, managing director of community relations at Piedmont Natural Gas.

Learn more about Youth Villages’ work in North Carolina at youthvillages.org/nc.

Tristin shares her story of inspiration.

Jimmy Wayne, (center) is presented with the inaugural KiteTales Award by Annie Smith, state director of Youth Villages North Carolina, and Pat Lawler, chief executive officer, Youth Villages.

Lead Sponsors

In-Kind Sponsors
Boingo Graphics
Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts
Norman Sound & Productions
Party Reflections
Something Classic Catering & Daisy Catering
Whitewash Films

Flickr photo gallery

“YVLifeSet gives young adults like me the extra reinforcement to achieve goals that we otherwise might not be able to achieve. It helps kids like me prepare for adulthood in the right way which helps us pave the way for a bright future.”

— Ann (center, with Gov. Charles Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker)

Youth Villages is grateful to the 230 supporters, including Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker, who joined us Thursday, April 28, as we honored our Massachusetts Founding Board Member, Sandy Edgerley, at our Spring Celebration. The outpouring of generosity from our guests at this year’s event truly blew us away! The event raised over $550,000 to help even more young adults aging out of foster care like Ann (above), through the YVLifeSet program. Together we are giving these young people the gift of a good start!

VIEW A PHOTO GALLERY FROM THIS WONDERFUL EVENING.

It’s not too late to support our YVLifeSet program. Please click here to contribute.

If you were unable to attend the event, please watch this short but moving video to hear directly from Ann (below) about how YVLifeSet has helped set her on a path towards success.

Please feel free to share this video with your friends, family and coworkers through your social media networks. It takes all of us to help make sure no child becomes lost at 18. We give special thanks to the evening’s honoree, Sandy Edgerley, our amazing event committee and our event sponsors without whom this event would not have been possible.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Steven Tyler today announced his intimate concert performance “STEVEN TYLER…OUT ON A LIMB” at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall on May 2. The award-winning director Brett Ratner and the legendary frontman are collaborating on a unique experience to benefit Janie’s Fund, Tyler’s charitable initiative to help girls overcome the trauma of abuse and neglect.

Named after his hit song “Janie’s Got A Gun,” Janie’s Fund is a collaboration between Tyler and leading nonprofit organization Youth Villages established to help girls who have been abuses and neglected. Launched in November 2015, Janie’s Fund offered a historic 54 days of impact coinciding with the 26th anniversary of the release of the song. For more information, please visit: www.JaniesFund.org.

“Youth Villages is so grateful to Steven Tyler for starting Janie’s Fund to help our girls who are working to heal from abuse,” said Youth Villages CEO Patrick Lawler. “Steven’s commitment to helping these girls brings them so much hope, and this will be an incredible evening. He uses his big voice unceasingly to raise awareness and funds for the voiceless.”

“I’m digging deep and finding some real buried treasure for this one. I’ve never performed quite like this before,” Tyler said. “I’m telling it like it is and getting to perform with some extremely talented musicians and dear friends from Nashville. For this show, we’re taking it up close and personal and truly going…OUT ON A LIMB.”

“STEVEN TYLER…OUT ON A LIMB” will showcase in-depth stories and insights on stage from recounts of Tyler’s piano upbringing to trials and tribulations of life with his band. Backed by his Nashville-based band, Loving Mary, Tyler will lead the crowd on a time-traveling journey from his musical ancestors in Calabria, Italy all the way to Route 440 and Nashville’s country music.

The event will also feature a silent auction with once-in-a-lifetime experiences and memorabilia, from a five-day stay at Tyler’s Hawaiian home to a limited edition, hand-shaped artist series surfboard designed by artist Tim Bessell as part of the Bessell Warhol Project. Additional items include an autographed, one-of-a-kind painting of Tyler and Aerosmith bandmate Joe Perry by artist Brian Fox; the Skittles® mic stand from the set of Tyler’s Super Bowl commercial; exclusive signed images taken by photographer Sarah Skinner; pieces from Tyler’s personal wardrobe worn on American Idol; and an opportunity to attend the Emmy® Awards in Los Angeles along with a complimentary gifting suite prize package.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. and are priced at $53, $153 and $203, not including applicable service charges. Two VIP packages will be offered by Twisted J, one at $550 (includes access to seats in the first five rows and exclusive advance access to silent auction items) and $950 (same offer as $550 with the addition of a Meet and Greet). For additional information with package details, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

One of music’s most recognizable and dynamic performers, Tyler has been cited by Rolling Stone as “one of the greatest singers of all time.” Tyler and Aerosmith have sold more than 150 million records worldwide and he has won four GRAMMY® Awards, six American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards and an Emmy® Award. In addition to having nine No. 1 hits, Aerosmith has received 25 Gold, 18 Platinum and 12 multi-Platinum album certifications. Tyler’s highly anticipated upcoming solo album is scheduled for release later this summer on Big Machine Label Group’s Dot Records. His current single, “RED, WHITE, & YOU” is available now.

In addition to presenting sponsor Twisted J Apparel, award-winning New York-based restaurant Catch will sponsor the milestone event.

Youth Villages North Carolina’s 3rd annual Cornhole Tournament in the Triangle, took place at American Tobacco’s amphitheater in Durham Oct. 8, and was a huge success! The tournament, which featured a raffle, trophies, live music and photo booth (sponsored by Dude Solutions), benefited youth working to successfully transition from foster care to adulthood through help from the YVLifeSet program.

The tournament was the largest to date, with more than 150 community members present to show their support, and 48 participating teams. The event raised nearly $16,000 to provide the most vulnerable young people in our community with the support they need to maintain stable and suitable housing, remain free from legal involvement, participate in an educational/vocational program and develop the life skills necessary to become a responsible citizen.

Not only were youth helped through the money raised, but one young lady was significantly impacted that evening. After hearing Jessica – a YVLifeSet youth – share how the program has positively impacted her future, a homeless youth, who happened to be observing the event, approached our staff and asked how she can replicate Jessica’s successes in her own life. She was admitted into Youth Villages’ services just two weeks later, and we’re excited by the opportunity to support her!

Congratulations to this year’s tournament winners!

Thanks to all of our sponsors who helped make these successes possible through their generosity and participation:

A special thanks to Boingo Graphics for their expedient help printing the banners, and to Bull Durham Beer Company, for generously donating $1 to Youth Villages for every pint sold during the evening.

Ruby, Youth Villages-Germaine Lawrence Campus alumna, speaks at the Oct. 20 event in Boston.

“I left Germaine Lawrence in December of 2011, and I have been self-harm free ever since. It was a long road to recovery that I am still walking, but with the love of my family and the support I receive through therapy and Youth Villages LifeSet, I know it’s only up from here. I am not weak because of my past. I am wiser, less selfish and more determined to make a change because of it.” – Ruby, Youth Villages-Germaine Lawrence Campus alumna

Two hundred and fifty guests showed their support for Youth Villages-Germaine Lawrence Campus at our Women of Excellence Event at the Sheraton Boston Hotel on Tuesday, October 20th. The event raised more than $137,000 to support the work the Youth Villages-Germaine Lawrence Campus is doing to improve the lives of adolescent girls. Event proceeds will also go to supporting the campus with extra curricular and experiential learning outings, which help the girls build confidence, develop new skills and find joy in learning. Thank you to our event co-chairs, Sabrina Baloun-Kavet and Stephanie Spector and to the Women of Excellence Event Committee for their dedication to Youth Villages-Germaine Lawrence and for the time spent making this event a great success.

Thank you to Ruby for sharing her story about how the Germaine Lawrence Campus helped her on her path to success and Tegan for allowing us a view into her journey to stability and independent living.

We’re grateful to former Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley for helping us recognize the 2015 Youth Villages Women of Excellence honorees for their important work advancing the lives of girls across Massachusetts: Nurys Camargo, Bethany Casarjian, Ph.D., Neena McConnico, Ph.D., LMHC, Lily Konowitz. See full bios.

It’s not too late to support this important program!

Together, we are making a difference in the lives of girls at risk.

Thank you to our event sponsors:

Platinum
Anita and Josh Bekenstein
Sandra and Paul Edgerley
Joanna and Jon Jacobson
Beth and Seth Klarman
Yvette and Peter Mulderry
Stephanie and Brian Spector

Gold
Jeffrey and Janet Glidden
Leerink Partners LLC
Martin and Tristin Mannion

Silver
Anonymous, Yvonne Hao, Lisa and Michael Josephson, Francine Rosenzweig, Vikram Savkar and Catherine Madden, Kim Syman and J.B. Lyon

Bronze
AT&T, Anne Benning, The Boston Foundation, Donna Frieze, Julie Girts, Sarah Hancock, Kathleen Krueger, Kris and John Montgomery, Reebok International, Ltd., Sandra Urie and Frank Herron

Supporter
Helen Chin Schlichte, Kristin and John Howard, Reid and Tara Jordan, Pamela and Tom Lynch

Friend
Karen and Roger Andrews, Margaret Hall, Karen and Herb Kavet, Ann L. Keenan, Pat Mahoney, Jenna and Mark O’Donnell, Jane Philippi, Alexis Wintersteen

Women of Excellence Committee
Sabrina Baloun-Kavet and Stephanie Spector, Co-Chairs

Beth Backer, Anne Benning, Julie Girts, Kristin Howard, Pamela Lynch, Catherine Madden, Kris Montgomery, Carrie Murphy

Ruby’s remarks from the event:

Youth Villages, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families in Portland live successfully, will host “The Life Set,” an evening with New York Times best-selling author Vanessa Diffenbaugh, Thursday, Oct. 15 at Wieden + Kennedy, 224 NW 13th Ave. in Portland, Oregon.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Tickets to the event are $10, with proceeds benefitting Youth Villages’ YVLifeSet program that helps former foster youth make a successful transition to adulthood. Tickets are available online at youthvillages.org and at the door. Wine, beer and appetizers are included with the cost of admission and a no-host bar with spirits will be available for an additional cost.

Diffenbaugh, who drew attention to the hardships of youth aging out of foster care through “The Language of Flowers,” will discuss her novels and the social issues represented in them. She will sign books and answer questions from the audience in a panel discussion about key issues facing vulnerable youth in Portland. Diffenbaugh will be joined by Mary Lee, national coordinator of the YVLifeSet program for Youth Villages. Books will be available for purchase and attendees are welcome to bring their own books as well.

Diffenbaugh’s interest in supporting Youth Villages’ work, particularly the organization’s YVLifeSet program, was piqued by her passion for helping foster youth. Her debut novel, which spent 69 weeks on The New York Times best-sellers list and has been translated into more than 40 languages, is about a girl growing up in and aging out of foster care. She also will discuss her new novel, “We Never Asked for Wings.”

Teaching art and technology to youth in low-income communities, Diffenbaugh and her husband, PK, a teacher by training, became intimately familiar with the needs of children growing up in foster care or with families who cannot adequately care for them. The couple eventually became foster and adoptive parents of Tre’von, now 23. Earlier this summer, the Diffenbaughs legally adopted Donovan, 25, whom they met as he was aging out of foster care. They are also the parents of Graciela, 9, and Miles, 7.

Following her literary success, Diffenbaugh co-founded Camellia Network, a nonprofit crowdfunding and social support platform to help former foster children that recently merged with Youth Villages and has been relaunched as the LifeSet Network, LifeSetNetwork.org. The site’s mission is to connect every youth aging out of foster care with donors who will provide the critical resources, opportunities and support they need to thrive in adulthood.

Youth Villages launched YVLifeSet in 1999, to help children aging out of state care or juvenile justice placements make a successful transition into independent adulthood. Youth Villages also provides YVLifeSet in Oregon and seven other states and has helped more than 8,000 youth by providing guidance and support to help them achieve their independent living goals, including completing their high school education, going on to higher education, finding a job, finding stable housing, reconnecting with family when appropriate, learning to budget and more.

Youth Villages Oregon has been helping children and families live successfully in the state since 1859. We provide Intercept® intensive in-home, YVLifeSet and residential services to children and youth with emotional and behavior problems and their families. Using our Evidentiary Family Restoration approach, which involves intensive work with the child and family, a focus on measuring outcomes, keeping children in the community whenever safely possible, and providing accountability to families and funders, Youth Villages consistently produces lasting success for children.

One of the nation’s first and largest providers of intensive in-home services, Youth Villages this year will help more than 23,000 children and families in 12 states and Washington, D.C. The organization has been recognized by 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. For more information, visit youthvillages.org.

See more photos…

Approximately 130 guests joined us May 31, 2015, at Aeronaut Brewing Co. in Somerville, Massachusetts, for Youth Villages’ Cornhole for a Cause event.

Thirty-three teams competed in this year’s tournament, which generated more than $4,000 to help provide youth in our programs access to positive extracurricular activities that they would otherwise be unable to afford. Thanks to all those who played and those who supported this year’s Cornhole Tournament.

Congratulations to our winners!

• 1st Place: Team “Bentley Bros” consisting of Curtis Freedman and Brian Cusick
• 2nd Place: Team “Cornhole on Fleek #blessed” made up of Justin Nihon and Cait Ryan
• 3rd Place: Lelani and Rich Foster, known as team “Kernel Fosters”

If you were unable to attend, it is not too late to support our efforts.

For questions or more information, please contact Kimberly Santos, special events manager, by email or call her at 781-937-7905.

Recently, more than 60 community members braved the heat at Rooftop210 at the EpiCentre in Charlotte, North Carolina, to participate in Youth Villages’ second annual Cornhole Tournament, presented by Bank of the Ozarks.

The event – which featured a raffle, prizes and live music – benefited young people receiving help at Youth Villages. Over the past two years the event has raised a total of $6,055 to allow troubled youth the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities they otherwise would be unable to afford – such as summer camps, after-school programs and sports teams.

A special young man, Nathan, and his mother, Ronya, shared their heartwarming story of funds from the event creating a positive change in their family.

“Nathan was able to participate in basketball and football. I would like to thank Youth Villages for their support,” Ronya said.

Thanks to the generosity of event participants and presenting sponsor Bank of the Ozarks, children at Youth Villages will be able to move closer to finding long-term success in life.

“Bank of the Ozarks places a priority on investing in the Charlotte community and we are so very proud to partner with Youth Villages to make sure disadvantaged children have the opportunity to thrive,” said Cindy Wolfe, President, Carolinas Division Bank of the Ozarks.

Thank you to all who turned out to support Youth Villages mission to help troubled children and their families live successfully!

Congratulations to the winning teams: 1st – Silent Types, 2nd – Honeycutt It Out, 3rd – Final Frontier.

A very special thanks to Boingo Graphics for their generosity.

See our Flickr gallery for more photos from the event.

“I once was afraid, but I have found hope and the people at Youth Villages gave me that. They are truly some of the most heartfelt, genuine humans I have ever met and they will always have a special place in my heart.”
— Jonathan, featured speaker at the Youth Villages Massachusetts Spring Celebration

This year’s Youth Villages Massachusetts Spring Celebration was a record-breaking success!

We are grateful to the 330 supporters who joined us Tuesday, April 28, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston. The event raised a record-breaking $582,000 to help even more young adults aging out of foster care through the YVLifeSet program.

We give special thanks to the evening’s honoree, Gerald Chertavian, event co-chairs, Yvette Lowenthal-Mulderry and Kim Syman, our amazing event committee, and our event sponsors without whom this event would not have been possible.

It is not too late to give the gift of a good start to a young adult aging out of foster care by supporting the YVLifeSet program in Massachusetts. Please consider a donation today.

View a photo gallery from the evening and watch the video below to learn about the positive impact YVLifeSet has on young adults aging out of foster care.

Thank you to our event sponsors:

DIAMOND SPONSORS

Sandy and Paul Edgerley

Joanna and Jon Jacobson

Yvette and Peter Mulderry

RUBY SPONSORS

Amy and David Abrams

Maurice and Luly Samuels

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Kate and Gerald Chertavian

Tim and Maureen Dibble

Beth and Seth Klarman

Stephanie and Matt Magee

Lauren and Joseph Mazzella

Marion and David Mussafer

Brian and Stephanie Spector

Kim Syman and J.B. Lyon

GOLD SPONSORS

and Dr. Lisette Cooper

Joe and MaryLynn Antonellis

Devin and Erin Condron

Fran and David Davidson

Michael and Barbara Eisenson

Daniel and Shoshana Farb

Donna and David Frieze

Elizabeth and Peter Georgantas

Lisa and Stephen Lebovitz

Sara and Joshua Ross

Rosalyn and Richard Slifka

Jill and Michael Stansky

Jennifer and Seth Stier

Caron and Kevin Tabb

SILVER SPONSORS

Anonymous

Sara and Michael Bernstein

Gary Goshgarian & Kathleen Krueger

Lisa and Mike Josephson

Catherine Madden and Vikram Savkar

Spring Celebration Committee

Event Co-Chairs: Yvette Lowenthal-Mulderry* and Kim Syman*

Erin Condron, Rachel Deering, Donna Frieze, Jamie Genser, Elizabeth Georgantas, Joanna Jacobson*, Beth Klarman*, Pamela Lynch, Catherine Madden, Stephanie Magee, Mark O’Donnell*, Francine Rosenzweig, Kevin Tabb*

*Member of Youth Villages Massachusetts Board

From left: Katja Russell, Youth Villages executive director of Mississippi and Alabama, with members of Youth Villages’ Mississippi Board, Susan Smith, Stephanie Rippee and Amanda Tollison.

Nearly 200 business and community leaders gathered Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, at the Country Club of Jackson for Youth Villages’ 2014 Tribute to Excellence Fall Dinner to raise almost $40,000 in sponsorships and donations for the transitional living program in Mississippi.

View a photo gallery from the event.

This year’s event, presented by Sanderson Farms, honored Reverends Luther and Janet Ott for their incredible impact on the lives of Mississippi children through their work with Stewpot Community Services and the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson.

Katja Russell, executive director of Youth Villages Mississippi, shared information on the services Youth Villages provides to children and families across the state. Amy Adams, assistant director of programs, spoke about transitional living and the YV Scholars program. She was joined by Renee, a former foster youth, who is currently receiving transitional living services. She became a YV scholar just last year. Renee discussed how meaningful Youth Villages’ programs can be and how the care and love of her YV foster mother, Linda Porter, forever changed her life.