The Big PiggyBack 2024

Join us on February 29, 2024

The Big PiggyBack is an online giving event benefiting LifeSet of Middle Tennessee. LifeSet empowers young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood by reaching their independent living goals. Everything raised will help expand these critical supportive services to every young person exiting foster care in Middle Tennessee.

On any given day, we are serving more than 350 young people in the LifeSet program in Middle Tennessee. Typically, these youth exit foster care with no family support, no financial resources, and have the highest rates of homelessness, unemployment, addiction, incarceration, and untreated mental health needs. Additionally, these youth experience chaotic educational backgrounds creating many hurdles to future success. Nationwide, only 25% of these youth attend secondary education and only 4% graduate. The program works to prevent these outcomes by eliminating barriers to help these young people find lasting success.

How can I help?

LifeSet Lunch and Learn

Guests of our Lunch and Learn are invited to cover the cost of their lunch to help support LifeSet in Middle Tennessee.

Donate to help fund LifeSet for a young person in Middle TN striving to reach their full potential. 

Your giving will fund the following for a young person exiting foster care with zero family support and entering adulthood.

$50 provides hygiene items (shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, etc.)
$100 supports transportation (bus passes, Uber gift cards, etc.) to help young people get to work, school, interviews, health appointments, etc.
$250 provides a grocery gift card for kids waiting for their food stamps
$500 provides a bed and bedding for kids leaving their foster home and entering independent living (mattress, box spring, frame, pillows, sheets, comforter)
$1,000 provides essential items for entering the workforce or a trade/vocational program (nursing, culinary, cosmetology/barber school, construction, architecture, auto repair, etc.)
$5,000 will FUND A DREAM! Support at this level will help a kid go to college and cover costs to allow them to pursue their education (laptop, books, meal plan, lab fees, tuition, housing, childcare, etc.).

DONATE Now

Start fundraising to support The Big PiggyBack and LifeSet in three easy steps:
1. Register to create a page
2. Set a goal and customize your page
3. Spread the word and invite people to donate!

CREATE A FUNDRAISING PAGE 

How does LifeSet help?

LifeSet works to prevent these outcomes by empowering young people to overcome their challenges and make a successful transition into adulthood. These young people are paired with a clinically trained specialist, and together, they identify potential barriers and map out a personal path to success. Specialists meet face-to-face with participants weekly, are available 24-7 for crisis support, and help participants find safe housing, achieve stable employment and financial well-being, continue their education or obtain job training, build healthy adult support systems, acquire valuable life skills, and learn to manage their physical and mental health issues.

LifeSet works

Last year, our outcomes at one-year post-discharge included 91% of youth living with family or independently, 98% of youth in school, graduated, and/or employed, and 92% of youth with no new legal involvement.

Please consider making a gift today and even setting up a peer-to-peer fundraiser to share with your family and friends.

This Little Piggy is giving back, how about you?

DONATE Now OR  CREATE A FUNDRAISING PAGE

Your Support is Needed!

Most of the programs at Youth Villages are subsidized through government contracts with the state of Tennessee, however, LifeSet is a privately funded program by foundations, companies, and individuals. One hundred percent of the donations that The Big PiggyBack raises will directly benefit the young people in the LifeSet program.