The holidays are fast approaching, which means Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) is gearing up to launch our annual Holiday Giving Project very soon. This important project supports young adults who have aged out of the State’s foster care system with tangible, thoughtful items when they do not have the social and emotional supports or financial resources available from a family like their peers do during the holiday season.

Typically, ILYA volunteers work in partnership with the State’s Independent Living Coordinators to compile wish lists submitted by youth. First U members would have the opportunity to review the wish lists on Sunday mornings and decide which items they would like to purchase and bring to the church.
But, just like during the 2020 holidays, the pandemic has changed how this process will work again this year. While there will not be any wish lists available this year, there will still be plenty of ways members can support the project, such as assembling gift boxes or writing personalized holiday cards to the youth. More info is coming soon!

As we have shared recently, ILYA has partnered with the congregations at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek and Unitarian Universalists of Central Delaware in Dover. Through these partnerships, we are so excited that the Holiday Giving Project will now be expanding to benefit foster care youth in Kent County.
As we finalize details, stay tuned for specific ways you can get involved. We will be sharing more next week! Thank you in advance for your generosity and support of ILYA during the winter holidays and all throughout the year.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the ILYA Holiday Giving Project Coordinators:
Carolyn Gibson (cgibson@upenn.edu or 610-388-0405) and Martha Gessler (marthagessler@gmail.com or 302-427-9037).