ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) is working hard to prepare the backpacks we give as gifts to young people graduating from high school and aging out of foster care. They will be distributed at the pizza party we give to celebrate their amazing achievement.

“Amazing achievement?” you may be thinking. What’s so amazing about graduating from high school? Doesn’t every child? But consider this… if you were abruptly removed from your family with no warning… were placed in a home with people you didn’t know not knowing what’s happening to your parent(s)… had to get used to a new school… and then maybe had to move multiple times in your young life, how easy would it be to pay attention to your studies, be able to concentrate and be calm enough to take tests successfully? How would it be as a teenager to have no say in most aspects of your life? Under those conditions, IT IS an amazing achievement that these young people graduate.

It costs about $3000 to purchase all the backpacks, fill them with things they can take to a dorm or apartment (and a $25 gift card) and have the pizza party. So far, we have about half of that so we need everyone’s help to make it happen.

Please visit the table in the parish hall during coffee hour to make a contribution or send a check to the church with “ILYA” on the memo line. You can also use Give Plus+ on your mobile device indicating your donation should go to ILYA.

Thank you for helping to make it a “shining hour” for these so deserving young people!