Youth Villages stories

Middle Tennessee native and donor, Meghan Markie, originally from Columbia, Tennessee, has been supporting Youth Villages after her father introduced her to the organization, where he volunteered as a Dell employee before his passing. Since getting involved, Meghan joined the Middle Tennessee Advisory Board, and for the last two years, she served as Board Chair.

A graduate of the University of Memphis, Meghan works at Dell as an Instructional Designer in the Global Services Sales Department. Meghan is a regular donor and gets her donations matched by Dell doubling her impact. In addition to her personal giving, Meghan also engages Dell to support our mission both financially and through volunteer service. Meghan and her husband John, have one son named James and live in Franklin, Tennessee.

How do you support Youth Villages of Middle Tennessee? 

One of my favorite ways to volunteer with Youth Villages is to sort gifts at “The Workshop” during Holiday Heroes.  I don’t get to see the kids’ faces when they open them, or even the families at pickup, but seeing the HUGE generosity of the Middle Tennessee community is an incredibly uplifting and hope-filled experience every year.  The Youth Villages staff are also unbelievably talented and make every volunteer opportunity meaningful and fun.

What do you think sets Youth Villages apart in its work with children and families? 

I believe Youth Villages really looks at the whole picture.  They are not just about foster care and adoption- they support kids AFTER they age out of foster care in the LifeSet Program.  They help these kids who do not have the resources [that I did] to help them find a stable place to live, drive a car, buy books for school, etc. The LifeSet program is truly groundbreaking, and it is changing lives.

Why do you personally support Youth Villages with your philanthropic investment?

I support Youth Villages because someone close to our family experienced foster care. I support Youth Villages in honor of my dad and my son, and with hope for every child that Youth Villages helps.

Why should someone consider becoming more involved with Youth Villages?

Youth Villages has an amazing staff who are passionate about helping kids. Youth Villages’ programs like LifeSet are making a difference in people’s lives and leaving a better legacy for our community.

We cannot thank Meghan enough for her leadership on the Advisory Board and for helping children and families in Middle Tennessee live successfully.