Recently, Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) was thrilled to share that the Furniture Barn run by residents at Cokesbury Village (including some First U members and friends) had generously agreed to offer to our youth access to the excess furniture their residents can no longer use. This was a...

A Pilot Partnership with the Cokesbury Retirement Community For the past two years, after the Catholic Charities Thrift Center closed due to COVID, ILYA has only been able to make available to our young adults, who have aged out of foster care, furniture that was offered from time to time...

Our First U mission calls us to fight injustice and transform the world through loving action and we are meeting this intention head on. Our three official Social Justice Task Forces are the way we, as a congregation, are focusing on this mission. All are outward focused and involve members...

Thanks to all who tuned in to the February 13th service that reflected on the ways that serving occurs in the Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) program at First U. We hope that you feel more connected to and proud of the important work of this wonderful social justice...

Second Sunday is here! It’s the perfect time to celebrate and reflect on how ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) at First U is making a difference by hearing directly from some of our youth, interviewed by Rev. Larry. For 17 years, ILYA has assisted young adults as they navigate...

Second Sunday is right around the corner on Valentine’s Day weekend, February 13th. It’s the perfect time to celebrate ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) at First U! For 17 years, ILYA has assisted young adults as they navigate their new life after foster care. Year-round projects such as New...