A big THANK YOU to those who have volunteered to support Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA)’s Holiday Giving Project. We are so appreciative. With an unexpected increase in the number of young adults and children in New Castle County and with the expansion to Kent County, we are supporting 112 adults and 16 children this year – more than ever before!
Your time and gifts make a difference for ILYA young adults like “Yvonne” this holiday. Yvonne is attending Wilmington University’s Year Up Wilmington Program, which makes it more convenient for working students to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree. She recently completed an internship at Chase Bank and is working part-time while attending classes. Yvonne is living independently in her own apartment. She will be aging out of the State’s Independent Living Services soon and will not have any outside support.

Through the end of November, members can support the project by:
Make a donation to First U with “ILYA Holiday Giving” in the check memo line. ILYA team members are doing the shopping.
Bring a personalized holiday card with an unsealed envelope to the church office. Sign your first name(s) and add a general note at the bottom. Some youth have diverse faith and ethnic backgrounds so cards should have a “generic” message/image.
Bring an extra 2022 calendar you have around your home to the church. Look for the ILYA box for both cards and calendars in the church office.
Give the gift of reading! Donate new, culturally-sensitive children’s books for children of our ILYA-supported youth ages newborn to 7 years old.

We also need volunteers to help prepare gift boxes for distribution to the Independent Living Coordinators. Join us on Friday, December 3 to wrap and assemble gifts. Bring a friend!

Contact the ILYA Holiday Giving Project Coordinators if you can help: Carolyn Gibson (cgibson@upenn.edu or 610-388-0405) or Martha Gessler (marthagessler@gmail.com or 302-427-9037).

Thank You and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family from the ILYA Team!