Company Updates

Our podcast is back for season two! The nine upcoming episodes will feature stories of resilience of current and former participants in our LifeSet program. We kick-off this season with Darrah! Growing up, Darrah was the strong one. From a young age, her mother’s mental illness forced her to be the adult of the household. For Darrah, entering the foster care system and experiencing structure for the first time was a relief; but even then, she was on her own. After achieving academic and professional success, Darrah was still confronted with the question: “Who’s going to take care of me?” The answer had been the same all along. Learn how you can be your own greatest ally through the practice of positive affirmation and remember, “You got this!”

17-year-old Max Roman had a difficult upbringing, bouncing around the foster system in Tennessee. He ended up at Youth Villages, an organization that tries to hep older kids in state custody who are about to turn 18 and age out.

When you’re fresh out of college, it can feel overwhelming to choose a career path and earn skills that you’ll be beholden to for your entire career. For students like Tricia Murphy who knew they wanted to work closely with children and families, the pressure to commit to a graduate-degree program before ever entering the workforce weighs even heavier. But upon finding Youth Villages and its YV360 program, Tricia realized she could work with kids and families, and even grow her career, before deciding to commit to a graduate degree. She shares the impact of internal upward mobility and a willingness to support career growth in her episode of Stronger Than You Think.

One of the best ways to get a feel for a company is to hear stories from employees. We’ve created the perfect opportunity – our new podcast, Stronger Than You Think. The first season features 11 episodes of one-on-one interviews with Youth Villages employees across its programs. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts. On this week's episode – Meet Merry! When society’s given up on you, all it takes is one person to help you turn it around. After two careers, Merry Byers joined Youth Villages and hasn’t looked back. Hear her story and learn how the youth and families she works with impact her life.

In high school, 17-year-old Lexi struggled with disordered eating. Her anorexia led to body-image issues, suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors. She was in a residential facility to receive treatment for her anorexia, but when a nurse discovered that Lexi was cutting herself, she was sent to a hospital emergency department (ED).

By the time he was 13, Ares had entered the North Carolina foster care system. Now he is a North Carolina State University student athlete. He attributes a lot of his accomplishments to his journey with LifeSet.

A PBS NewsHour team followed staff in our Intercept and Specialized Crisis Services programs in East Tennessee for this powerful report on the children’s mental health crisis. Symptoms of depression and anxiety for children and adolescents have doubled since the COVID pandemic. Watch as Youth Villages staff provide the most effective help to a brave teen in the best place – her own home.

Chinishe Ray became a foster parent with Youth Villages in 2015. Four years later, she adopted Kaleb and Kobe, now 9 and 7 years old, respectively. This month she celebrates the adoption of -year-old twin boys, Jace and Jaxon on May 3, 2022 (National Foster Care Day).

Daily Memphian reporter Don Wade goes on a “ride-along” with the Youth Villages Intercept program, which recently received a “well-supported” rating from the Title IV-E Clearinghouse. Wade follows Priscilla Carter through a day-in-the-life of an Intercept specialist with consultations and family visits. Read the full story here.