How touching it was to open the mail for the Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) program last week and find a check made out to the church designated for ILYA.
The gift was from a former beneficiary of our Student Care Package project, Nicole Magnusson! Nicole made the donation in memory of Melinda Byers, her former foster mother, who passed away last year.

Church member Maureen Sandberg was Nicole’s Student Care Package mentor when Nicole was a student at the University of Delaware from 2008-2012. Nicole also attended two pizza graduation parties, one when she graduated from high school and one after she received her college diploma.

Following her communications work for former Delaware Attorney General, Matt Denn, Nicole became a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC., where she now works.

We are honored and tickled that she chose ILYA as a place to remember her former foster mother. Nicole, we are so proud of you! Thank you for “paying it forward.”