Open hearts color future for boys

Jamie Davis had a hard time keeping her new year's resolution this year.

The avid nonprofit volunteer dedicates her time to several organizations in the area -- enough to make her consciously attempt to cut down. But she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"There are these troubled kids in our area, and it's hard to think about, because you don't see it," Davis says. "You see the good of Northwest Arkansas, and it is all great, but there are kids who need our help."

She recently pulled together the annual Thanksgiving meal for boys living in the residential program at Youth Bridge, which provides support to teenagers from homes of abuse and neglect, who have problems with addiction and behavioral issues or are facing homelessness.

For five years now, Davis has returned to the event, at which the Golden Corral serves a traditional holiday meal and Youth Bridge residents speak about their experience in its programs, because it gives her a quick turnaround on that time and energy she's invested.

"I like to see the direct impact that my time and money goes into," she says. "I just think it's cool, too. A lot of organizations, you don't get to interact with [whom] you're helping. But with Youth Bridge you do. They're people."

She can see how it affects the boys, who make up a majority of Youth Bridge residents, can get to know them and can understand just how important the services of shelter, counseling, preventative measures and substance abuse programs are to them.

Just being there, sitting and listening to them, shows residents a respect that they may not have experienced before. She witnesses the power of that firsthand.

"You don't know the extent of what showing kindness [to these boys] can do," Davis says. "Kids at this age [13 to 18 years old] are sponges. They take it all in.

"I always feel like if I can impact one life, or teach them kindness ... it goes so far. They're going to take that home ... and that may change their parents' attitudes" too.

Showing up and asking teenagers what they think about topics they care about gives them a chance to be the expert,s to feel that their opinions are valued. It delights them, amuses them, but also, sometimes, makes them skeptical.

"I've had boys at the lunch ask, 'Why do you do this?' 'Why are you here, don't you have a job?'" Davis says. But that gives her a chance to encourage them by reiterating that her spending time with them is valuable to her, too. By "spending my lunch break with you, even though I don't know you, you're the future of this community. I need you to be the best you can be so our community stays great."

Not only is it the first time they've had a holiday meal away from family (and for some, first holiday meal ever), it may be the first time some of them have heard such encouragement, after growing up in homes where they were told they were worthless.

Though mentorship is not the main outreach of Youth Bridge, like Big Brothers Big Sisters and other organizations, it's an added benefit of having volunteers from the local business community.

Residents are able to see a different possibility, a different life from what they've been raised in and get a little guidance to making that new, more secure life for themselves.

"A lot of the [Youth Bridge] programs are court-appointed," Davis says. "These kids are getting in trouble and at that age, they don't understand the impact of their mistakes that can damper their lives forever.

"We all know someone who could have used a little more guidance or had that person to look at."

In Davis' own experience, she had a family member who got in trouble as a teenager and as a result, hasn't had the privilege of voting that most Americans are able to enjoy. What seemed like a slap on the wrist then is a much bigger deal now.

"It's things like that that kids don't think about," she says. "One day, they're going to care [about those consequences]. They'll be a contributing member of society and have to sit back. It's too late by then."

This Friday, Davis is event chairwoman for Somewhere South of St. Somewhere, a Jimmy Buffett-themed benefit where more folks can hear from Youth Bridge graduates and current beneficiaries. Shawn Baldwin, a senior vice president at Walmart U.S., and Bryant Harris, senior vice president at Sam's Club, will act as "Parrot Head" co-hosts.

She hopes the fun, tropical theme, relaxed dress code (no formal wear, but Hawaiian shirts are OK) and party-like atmosphere, complete with Jimmy Buffett cover band (Bluffett and a Son of A Sailor), menu of cheeseburgers in paradise and drinks from margaritaville will draw a younger crowd than it has in past years.

Just like "Youth Bridge kids are going to grow up and be leaders of this community, they'll make impacts like the [Youth Bridge] volunteers are now," Davis says. "It's the responsibility of the younger generation, and it's millennials turn to step up.

"If we can catch [residents] at an early age, show them their worth and maybe, hopefully change their lives."

NAN Profiles on 11/29/2015