Independent Living Program Helps Individual Persevere

Young adult uses program supports to live independently.

Rae stands outside by a tree holding his Aspire Award.Rae connected with the Independent Living Program after aging out of foster care for support living independently and continuing his education.

He enrolled at UW – Madison in the engineering program and stays busy with various clubs and activities.

He’s an active member of the Youth Advisory Council, where he shares his experiences in hopes of improving the foster care system. He also recently completed a peer navigator training at UW, which allows him to support incoming disadvantaged students as they navigate their new college experience.

Rae is always looking toward the future and setting himself up for success. He’s currently looking for internships with manufacturers to gain hands-on experience.

“I just wanna say thank you [to my Independent Living Coordinator] for everything that [they’ve] done. [They’ve] opened doors for me when it comes to […] getting access to insurance. [They] also gave me access to assistance when it comes to registering for food support and that’s really meaningful for me. I don’t know what I would do in those aspects without [their] support.”

Rae received the 2022 Aspire Award for his perseverance and achievements in the Independent Living Program.

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