“It is an honor and a challenge,” says long-time volunteer and new Board Chair, Lew Moore

Our eleven-year-old organization has drawn people in as it has grown over the past decade.  Some have heard of us through partnerships and events, while to others through a student’s success story.  New 2012 Board Chair, Lew Moore, however, has been with Youth Life Learning Centers from its start.  He knew the individuals who initiated programming in Tennessee and was there to smell our first center’s paint dry when it was built in 2001.  You can find Lew in pictures from YLLC’s beginning, helping students –some now high school graduates — with their homework.  

Although his favorite part of working with us is volunteering directly with children, he is now able to serve students in a different way as Board Chair.  This on-going experience with our students will allow Lew to bring an exceptionally personable approach to his new position, one he describes as “an honor and a challenge.”

So why has Lew been around since the beginning?  He sees the unique stance we take to serve not only the student through academic and character-building, but also his or her family and their community as a whole.

“I know that it works, as I have seen the fruits of their efforts. I’ve seen children soar to new academic heights and families uplifted. It is effective!” says Lew.  One of his favorite stories on our effectiveness from over the years is about a family who was transplanted to Nashville as refugees from a civil war.

“The YLLC staff in their neighborhood really adopted this family, became friends with the parents and assisted their children in numerous ways.  One of the youngest children, who was too young for the program, would, nonetheless, follow his siblings to the center each day.  After taking notice, the staff created a special curriculum just for him.  His speech was stilted, so they helped him with that and his English.  By Christmas that year, he sang in the annual production.  There were few dry eyes that day!  Additionally, the staff helped one of the older siblings navigate through high school with tutoring.  Youth Life helped bridge the cultural divide the parents were experiencing, as they were more accustomed to children working after a certain age.  That student did graduate from high school and was the first in her family to attend college!  The second eldest sibling is currently in college, too, and was a featured speaker at our Women and Girls Benefit Luncheon last summer!  I firmly believe the life trajectory of this family would have taken a far different turn if not for the efforts of YLLC staff and volunteers.”

We’d like to thank Lew for his on-going dedication to our mission.  We know we have great things ahead with Lew leading our board.

YLLC partners with “Unconditional,” film to hit theaters fall 2012, for call to “ACT.”

Youth Life partners with “Unconditional,” a film to hit theaters this coming fall, to express the urgent need to serve at-risk children and youth in inner-city communities all across the country in a movement called, “ACT.”  After “Unconditional” producers came to know our ministry through their relationship with the Boselli Foundation in Jacksonville, Florida, the partnership seemed inevitable.  In fact, producers shot their “ACT” video at Youth Life Learning Centers in Jacksonville.

“They really want it to be more than just a movie but a movement to action,” says Yolanda Shields, CEO of Youth Life Learning Centers.  “I didn’t realize until halfway into the movie that it was about my friend, Joe Bradford, whom I have known for over 20 years!  He is definitely an example of how one person can make a difference to impact children living in the inner-city.  Our partnership with “Unconditional” and “ACT” will allow observers to see what faith based organizations throughout the country are already doing to impact children and families and how they can help the cause.”

“What Youth Life Foundation of Tennessee (YLFT) has been doing since 2001 is a perfect model of doing urban ministry in a way that brings sustainable changes to the lives of at-risk children and youth,” says Benjamin Thigpen, Director of Community Relations and ACT for Harbinger Media Partners, LLC, Producers of “Unconditional.” “By focusing on a balanced program of education, character and life skills, Youth Life has deeply impacted kids living in Tennessee communities.  YLLC is an urban ministry that we are proud to highlight and encourage our viewers to support via donations, volunteering, partnering, etc.“

Make sure to check out “Unconditional” at a theater near you this September!  Read more about “Unconditional” and the ACT movement.

Wesley Legg, Co-Producer of “Unconditional” and Chief Operating Officer of Harbinger Media Partners, added, “We are blown away by how many people are responding to the movie and we can’t wait to see how God moves on the hearts of audiences across the country this fall.”

$Ten for Tenn.

Donate as little as $10 each month

Whether you are supporting three children, are constantly on the move for meetings or are hoping you can go out this weekend with your friends, those of us in the volunteer state may find it nearly impossible to volunteer.  You then turn to donations.  You think to yourself, “I can’t give a major donation; I have a trip to save up for and bills to pay!”  Luckily, Youth Life has the answer!

In celebration of its tenth anniversary, Youth Life Foundation of Tennessee (YLFT) is approaching donations a little differently.  You may have noticed our Ten for Tenn. logo in our e-newsletter.  We’re making it easy for those who want to support our cause by encouraging them to donate as little as $10 each month rather than in bulk.  Because YLFT depends on donations to continue our after-school programming, you will be directly supporting our centers, and in turn, our cause.  Still not convinced $10 for Tenn. is for you?  Well, allow me to provide you with several reasons you should sign up to give!

• It’s for tight schedules.
• It’s for tight budgets. 
• It’s easy!
• You can stop at anytime.

Your $10 will go further than you think.  With your participation, we will be able to continue to serve our YLLC youth.  Click here to start donating and select monthly over the “Frequency” drop-down menu.  Make the next ten years even better and pass the word on to ten friends!  If at anytime you want to stop your donations, just contact us at Youth Life, and we will take care of it immediately.  So what are you waiting for?  Try it out for a few months and see that it doesn’t cut into your banking account at all, but that over time your donations will make a great impact on this community.

Donate for a worthy cause.  Donate for worthy at-risk youth.  Donate for education.  Donate for opportunity.  Donate for Tennessee.