Iconic music legend and humanitarian Steven Tyler, through his philanthropic initiative Janie's Fund, announced a year-end donation of $532,000 to support young women who have aged out of foster care in Boston, New York City, Nashville and the state of North Carolina. Funds in all markets will be used to support public/private partnerships for YVLifeSet and will be matched directly with public funding and private donations. In New York City, funds will support a new pilot program and in Nashville, help ensure that every girl that ages out of foster care has access to the program. YVLifeSet is a comprehensive, evidence-informed program that helps young people age 17 to 22 overcome challenges and childhood trauma to become successful, independent adults through experiential learning and intensive support. "Through Janie's Fund, I've met so many young women who have experienced the horrors and pain of childhood trauma. And the effects of this trauma don't stop at 18," said Tyler. "YVLifeSet is making an amazing impact on the lives of so many young people, and I'm thrilled to be part of helping this program expand across the country. There are 10,000 girls who age out annually and desperately need this level of care. It's my hope that we can announce additional program expansions in new year to help even more girls." Tyler established Janie's Fund in partnership with Youth Villages in 2015 to provide hope and healing for many of our country's most vulnerable girls who have survived the trauma of abuse and neglect. Without help, studies show that young people who experienced foster care are more likely to struggle as adults. A randomized clinical trial of YVLifeSet conducted by MDRC, a social research group, found that the program reduced homelessness, increased earnings and economic security, decreased mental illness, and decreased partner and domestic violence for participants. Youth Villages is one of the largest providers of services to children in Tennessee and a national leader in children's mental and behavioral health. The organization serves tens of thousands of children, families and young people in 16 states each year. Youth Villages' continuum of programs in Tennessee includes intensive in-home services; foster care and adoption; residential and intensive residential treatment campuses; YVLifeSet for transition-age youth; mentoring; and crisis services. The organization 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. Janie's Fund is a philanthropic initiative created by Steven Tyler in partnership with one of America's most effective nonprofits, Youth Villages. Named after AEROSMITH's 1989 hit "Janie's Got a Gun", which tells the story of a young girl who was abused by her father, Janie's Fund provides hope and healing for many of our country's most vulnerable girls who have survived the trauma of abuse and neglect. Through Janie's Fund, Tyler is using his big voice to give a voice to thousands of victims who haven't had one.
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