The following interview with Jim Ashby, President and CEO of CareMeridian, is an excerpt from IMPACT, A Report of The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation (2009), published in early 2010.  CareMeridian is a partner of The MENTOR Network and Jim serves as a Member of the Community Partners Committee for The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation.

Q:  Why did you agree to serve on the Foundation’s Community Partner Committee?

I’ve always believed that responsible organizations give back to the community.  Whether it’s the YMCA, the Boy Scouts or my kids’ school, I make a point of giving time and money to worthy nonprofits.  Historically, I have focused on those that help kids.  I believe that not only do the organizations I support benefit, but I benefit personally too.

My experience on the Community Partners Committee is a natural extension of my personal commitment and has opened my eyes to innovative programs I might not have seen otherwise.  That exposure helps me think about both CareMeridian and the communities we serve in a different light.  The same goes for the time I spend with my Network colleagues serving with me on the Committee.  Hearing what they do makes me appreciate The Network’s diversity and substantial contribution to many, many people who need assistance.

Q:  Why is it important for The Network to have a charitable foundation?

The Network’s mission is to deliver services to people in need.  I believe that if we didn’t give back to our communities we would be missing an opportunity to fully demonstrate our clear commitment to that mission.

I also think the Foundation fits our goal of being social entrepreneurs.  Charitable giving helps The Network maintain the creative edge you need to offer high quality, innovative services.  The grant process opens us up to fresh ideas currently being tried by nonprofits caring for similar people around the country.  Whether it’s an arts program for at-risk youth in Boston or an equine therapy program for individuals with physical disabilities in Colorado, The Network learns and grows by supporting them.

Q:  What is an example of a Foundation grant that’s made a difference in your community?

The Foundation supports a mentoring program run by the YMCA of Orange County, California.  The Y matches at-risk youth with adults who can help them work through academic and social challenges here in southern California.  And they spend a good amount of time in the community, the point being to help strengthen the social fabric for kids who don’t necessarily have a traditional family structure.  It’s a neat fit with The Network’s own services.  After all, we don’t make widgets; we help people do better!

I’m also really proud of a grant we gave to the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Lied sponsors a program called YouthWorks, which offers job training and mentoring for 100 to 150 at-risk youth from diverse cultural backgrounds in Clark County.

Clark County has some very depressed areas, especially in today’s economy.  Kids use the museum as a living lab for employment training and an opportunity to prepare for the workforce.

The program has been a success for 16 years.  In fact, Nevada has the nation’s highest drop-out rate, but in 2007 and 2008 100 percent of YouthWorks participants graduated from high school.

Q:  What is your hope for the Foundation in 2010?

There is a sober element to charitable giving right now.  Every not-for-profit organization I’m involved with is struggling for gifts because of this bleak economic climate. People are doing more with less.  They are cutting back on programs and staff.

But tough times can be inspiring.  Those of us on the Community Partners Committee are eager to help the most innovative, effective programs reach their goals.  We are looking forward to giving in 2010!

Click here to access Jim’s interview in its original format along with the full version of the IMPACT Newsletter.

CareMeridian, a partner of The MENTOR Network, provides cost-effective, sophisticated post acute care alternatives for catastrophically ill or injured patients of all ages.  With 16 locations located throughout Northern, Central and Southern California, as well as in the Southwest locations of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona, CareMeridian provides a unique service delivery model, merging the aesthetics of a residential environment within the framework of state-of-the-art technology and personalized service from an experienced and skilled health care team.

The MENTOR Network is a national network of local human services providers offering an array of quality, community-based services to adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain, spinal cord and other catastrophic injuries and illnesses, and to youth with emotional, behavioral and medically complex challenges as well as their families with programs in 36 states. To learn more, visit www.thementornetwork.com

Launched in 2007, The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation works to build on the Network’s innovative approach to human services by seeking new solutions and creative ideas for enhancing the lives of people with disabilities and youth and families facing behavioral and other challenges.  The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation  is committed to transforming the delivery of human services through the generation of new ideas and best practices.  The Foundation seeks to advance an agenda based on quality, accountability and respect for the individual.