He’s fostered 85 teen boys, leading them toward success and stability

WTVF

By Forrest Sanders

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — A man tells us his story puts him in a unique position to help others in the most formative years of their lives.
The number of people he’s helped is nothing short of staggering.

“This is where I’ve got their chores,” said Joseph Morton, walking around his home. “There’s the day to take out the trash. Then, we have the yard work. Wash clothes days. I try to do all I can to have things set up for when the new kid comes in. I tell all the boys we can’t change what’s happened. As much as I want to change what has happened in their life, I can’t. What I can do is take today and move forward.”

For 20 years, Joseph was a juvenile officer at what was then-called Woodland Hills Youth Development Center. He learned the teens in there were often coming from complicated situations. Years after leaving that place of work, he believed he could still help teens.

“He treated me like a man, a young man,” said Carter Gregory.

Carter was the first foster teen to be placed in Joseph’s home.

“He was very realistic about how things go in the real world,” he said.

“Right now, I feel like the best person I’ve ever been,” added Oswaldo Ramirez.

Oswaldo was a foster teen up until a year ago. In fact, going through the Youth Villages non-profit over ten years, Joseph has fostered about 85 young men.

“Sometimes when they get to my home, they’re broken, they’re lonely, they’re mad, they’re frustrated,” Joseph said.

Joseph takes in the teens, immediately gets them a YMCA membership, takes them to Ross for new clothes, and begins the mentorship.

“Help them become good young men, be successful young men,” he said.

“I work for a company called Black Diamond Roofing Solutions. I’m a sales manager there,” Carter said.

“[Carter] said, ‘I want to do something for you,” Joseph remembered. “He had a new roof put on my home. I didn’t have to pay one penny for it.”

“I can’t repay him for the time he let me stay here, but it was a small thank you,” Carter added.

Success stories continue.

“I’m in school now. I’m going to Lincoln Tech to be an auto mechanic,” Oswaldo said.

“I won’t have to pay to get my car fixed no more!” Joseph laughed. “No, I’ll have to pay like everybody else!”

“With all the McDonald’s he spent on me, man, I owe him!” Oswaldo smiled.

Joseph likes to describe his approach to helping these young men like this:

“What I tell these boys is, ‘they’re not in the boat by themselves.’ What I do is I get over in the boat with them, and we both paddle together. It makes me stick my little bird chest out to let me know I’ve accomplished something.”

Joseph is now waiting on yet another teen in the foster care system to come live at his home. Joseph believes this will be another young man he can lead toward a better life.

“I love you Joseph,” Carter told him.

“I love you too.”

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