[Editor’s note: This story published on Jan. 17, 2019, in our print edition but was delayed in being posted online due to technical issues.]
A Bartlett campus for youths in need has gotten a big boost from Janie’s Fund, an organization created by Aerosmith’s lead singer Steven Tyler in partnership with Youth Villages. The fund has donated about $500,000 to renovate a house at Youth Village’s Bartlett campus.
The renovated facility, Janie’s House, will open Feb. 4 and will have the capacity for 14 girls. It is expected to serve up to 30 girls annually, according to Crissy Lintner, Youth Village’s marketing and communications director. The campus as a whole serves about 90 youths.
Lintner said the house will be renovated with a hopeful and healing environment in mind, using Tyler’s interior design and reflecting Aerosmith’s “Dream On” lyrics.
Youth Villages provides help for children and young people who face a wide range of emotional, mental and behavioral problems. The organization’s efforts are designed to strengthen the child’s family and support systems and dramatically improve their long-term success. For more information, visit youthvillages.org.
Janie’s Fund was founded in 2015 and took its name from the 1989 Aerosmith song, “Janie’s Got a Gun” about an abused girl. The fund has raised about $4.5 million for Youth Villages to date. For more information about Janie’s Fund, visit janiesfund.org.
