We are delighted to report that we have volunteer matches for all of the twenty-one young adults who signed up to participate in the Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) Student Care Package for this academic year! The ILYA Student Care Package project matches students who have aged out of...
Please join us for a Questers’ Fundraiser on Friday, October 12th at 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Our 4th through 6th grade children are planning a fun night to raise money and supplies for ILYA, while enjoying fall games! All ages are welcome. There will be food for sale this night...
ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) is once again lining up volunteers to help students that have aged out of foster care. These youth who are going on to post-secondary education now have decreased support as they are no longer with a foster family. ILYA volunteers give them the boost...
With September upon us, the ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) team is thrilled to report that we have over twenty students hoping to be matched with caring volunteers willing to send treat packages periodically over the course of the academic year. Are you that caring person or family? If...
While many are just starting back to school, ILYA has kicked off our school related activity already. Mid-summer Sue Wilson who has so wonderfully lead the Student Care Package for a number of years handed leadership over to Cathy Butler after doing a great orientation. Cathy picked the ball right...
On August 8th, members of the ILYA team (Independent Living for Young Adults) attended the YAC (Youth Advisory Council) conference at Delaware State University in Dover. Betty Weir and Lori Cowan prepared a wonderful display for our “vendor” table. This is where team members got to talk with many young...
The Delaware Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is an organization made up of children and youth in foster care or who have aged out of foster care in Delaware. Their tag line is “Nothing about us without us.” They have been consultants to Delaware legislators and non-profit organizations and have been...
You may remember that in January 2017, ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) gave a baby shower to a young woman who was expecting a baby in March. We are so happy to report what a positive impact this has had on the young Mom’s life. The baby shower allowed...
Recently a letter was delivered to Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) which contained a check from Children & Families First. It was a gift in memory of someone who was an unknown supporter of ILYA but who had apparently informed Children & Families First of his belief in what...
The Independent Living for Young Adults Graduation Backpack and Pizza Party project was a fantastic success again this year thanks to the generous support of the First UU congregation. It turned out that we had 17 graduates who came to the West End Neighborhood House for the party. Amy Barch...
ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) provides grants to young people who have aged out of foster care – most often for apartment security or utility deposits. However, other grants are sometimes provided such as one for registration fees for a community service opportunity. In requesting the grant recently, her...
ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) is gathering the names of graduates for this year and there are many! We’ve secured a location for the pizza party (at no cost) and are collecting sets of towels/facecloths, pop-up hampers and $25 Target gift cards to put in backpacks. As soon as...
There’s no going back for the young people graduating high school who now age out of foster care. These students are looking to the future having overcome challenges most of us can’t even imagine. Oftentimes they were shifted through multiple schools adding more instability to the traumatic situations that disrupted...
And we need your help to be ready for them. ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) wants to make sure every young person graduating from high school who is also aging out of foster care gets the recognition they deserve for this great achievement. It’s not easy when you’re shifted...