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Youth Villages needs volunteers to fulfill Christmas wishes for 3,000 foster kids

Youth Villages needs volunteers to fulfill Christmas wishes for 3,000 foster kids
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Nashville nonprofit is racing against time to make Christmas dreams come true for thousands of children in foster care, group homes and in-home mental health programs.

Youth Villages is working to fulfill Christmas wish lists for over 3,000 kids, but about 200 wish lists still need volunteers to claim them. The final day for people to sign up and help is underway and you can volunteer to buy items from a wish list here.

The organization operates a workshop in Southeast Nashville where volunteers can see the operation in action. People interested in helping have two options: they can volunteer to shop for specific wish list items, or they can donate money and let Youth Villages staff handle the shopping.

The program serves children who might otherwise go without gifts during the holiday season. These kids are part of Youth Villages' foster care system, living in group homes, or receiving in-home mental health services.

Volunteers who want to participate can still sign up to claim a wish list. The organization emphasizes that even last-minute contributions can make a significant difference in a child's holiday experience.

Youth Villages has been working throughout the season to coordinate this massive gift-giving effort, which requires substantial community support to reach their goal of helping all 3,000 children.

Watch our live coverage from the Youth Villages workshop to see how you can still help make Christmas special for foster children in Nashville. Have questions about volunteering or want to share how you're helping kids in your community? Contact Eric at Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com

This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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