Nothing is better than asking for support and having people step right up! That's what happened last week when ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) asked for volunteers to send college care packages to students who have aged out of foster care. Four volunteers came forward and most are new at First U. Talk about jumping in and getting involved!
We're hoping that new procedures will encourage a more mutual and satisfying involvement with the students, too. In the past, snail mail didn't create much connection. Today's youth rely on texting for much of their communication so we're evolving to stay up with the times with a process that's efficient and hopefully builds a nice relationship between the students and our volunteers.
A big thanks goes out to our new college care package volunteers as well as to those who have faithfully continued to send packages to students over the years. You may not always hear back from the youth, but the feedback we get is that the packages really make a difference to keep them going during tough times.
We're still looking for volunteers. If you can help support a young person in reaching their higher education goals, reach out to Betty Wier or Sue Wilson and they'll hook you up.