Everyone deserves a graduation party

Every once in awhile you hear a story that totally fills your soul. Here's a story we loved recently about one Iowa church making a difference for youth in foster care.

When this church heard about how many teens age out of foster care each year, often without the support or resources of a caring adult, they decided to do something. In a few weeks, they rallied their entire community - friends, neighbors, businesses, social workers - to pull together an incredible graduation party for area youth in foster care.

“Most people didn’t know that this need existed or even knew about foster care, but once they knew, most had a heartfelt connection,” one church member said. “They had a child or grandchild who was graduating, and they couldn’t imagine their own child not having the support system we take for granted.”

From laptop computers to cookie sheets to personal finance education, each graduate received many gifts that would spur their success in college or in living on their own for the first time. 

You can read the full story here at LSI's website, one of our partner agencies. 

Thanks to First Lutheran Church in Decorah for sharing love and encouragement with these youth!