Merrier Christmas at Youth Villages thanks to EXIT
The two real estate businesses, owned by Jesse Vose, donated $2,000 to the organization Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 20.
“We’re so excited,” said Melissa Jackson-Wade, YV program director. “Being a non-profit, it’s hard to do all the things that we want to do for our families, so for community partners like EXIT, it’s just honestly so meaningful for our kids.
“Every year, we do gifts for all of our kids,” added Jackson-Wade, noting the donation will go toward those gifts.
“As a brokerage, we’re very family-oriented,” Vose said. “That’s one of our core values and what we run off of is family.
“That’s everything to us, and all of our agents are part of our family,” he added, noting through the year a portion of every transaction goes back into the community. So far, that translates to $7 million.
Vose said he had a chance to meet Jenna Bailey, Youth Villages foster parent trainer, during a community function in June.
“Our booths were right next to each other,” he recalled. “Her personality was so affectionate that all of us from our booth actually were attracted to the (YV) booth, and we got to learn so much about Youth Villages.
“It holds a special place in my heart, and probably all of our agents,” Vose said. “I think more people should know about Youth Villages and what you stand for and what you have to offer.”
Youth Villages, 9111 Cross Park Drive in Cedar Bluff, is a private, non-profit organization that provides a continuum of programs for youth, foster parents and adoptions.
“We also do in-home family services for young people who are being removed from their families, and our goal there is to try to keep families together,” Jackson-Wade said.
For example, one program, Intercept, was formed to strengthen families to prevent or limit needing foster care.
Lastly, “we do a LifeSet program, which is sort of transitional living” for teens who have aged out of foster care and which provides adult living and vocational skills.”
Earlier this month, Vose introduced the donation idea to the agents. “In a short few weeks we were able to raise some money,” he said. “We’re super excited … and very blessed to be able to do that.”
