Youth Villages kicked off its annual Holiday Heroes campaign this week with the help of the Tennessee Titans.
Players, staff and their family members joined the organization to transform an empty office space into a holiday workshop, which will be filled with thousands of donated toys over the next few weeks.
Purchasing gifts for their children during the holiday season is a heavy financial burden for many families throughout Middle Tennessee. The Holiday Heroes campaign will provide presents to more than 2,700 youth in Youth Villages’ community-based programs this year. Volunteer shoppers are paired with wish lists to ensure children receive exactly what they want this season.
“It gives me so much joy to see how happy the girls are when opening up their presents and getting the opportunity to have the same things as their peers,” said Donna Neal, single foster mom of 15 years and beneficiary of Holiday Heroes. “I get teary eyed just thinking about it.”
The Tennessee Titans take time every week to volunteer in the community and have been loyal partners to Youth Villages and the families across all their programs since 2020.
“Youth Villages continues to facilitate deeply transformative work within the community helping children and families across our region.” Said Josh Corey, Titans Vice President of Cause Marketing. “The Titans are proud to partner with their organization to support their annual Holiday Heroes campaign, ensuring a special holiday for the youth they serve. Joining together with our players and staff, to serve our community, is at the heart of our mission and is truly what the holidays are all about.”
In Middle Tennessee, Youth Villages works with children involved in child welfare and children’s mental health systems and their families. The organization also supports young people who have aged out of foster care at 18 as they transition into adulthood.
“The holidays can be a tough time for kids who are in foster care or living with instability in their homes,” said Greg Schott, director of development at Youth Villages. “They want the same things as their classmates: bikes, video games, dolls, purses and Legos. Our volunteer shoppers and sponsors like the Titans always do an amazing job ensuring they have a joy-filled holiday season.”
Shoppers are asked to spend $150 to $200 on each wish list and can request as many lists as they would like. Gift drop off is from Nov. 14 through Dec. 8 at 301 Plus Park Blvd, Suite 100, Nashville, 37217. Full hours and contact info are available on the Holiday Heroes Middle Tennessee website.
About Youth Villages
Youth Villages is a national leader in mental and behavioral health committed to finding the most effective solutions to help children, families and young adults overcome obstacles and live successfully. Working through direct services, partnerships with innovative public agencies and advocacy, we collaborate to bring positive change to child welfare, children’s mental health and justice systems. Our 4,500 employees serve more than 43,000 children and young adults in more than 100 locations in 27 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. For more information, go to youthvillages.org.
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