Elise, 15 years old, NJ

Wish submitted by:

Elise is a highly motivated and intelligent young adult who is currently facing difficult challenges in her life. She lived with her mother until she was seven years old, at which point her mother passed away. Since then, Elise has never known her father, and there is very little information available to help identify him. Following her mother’s death, Elise has struggled to find herself and connect with adults due to her extensive trauma. After her mother's passing, Elise lost contact with her older brother, who was adopted. Because the adoption was closed, she has no information regarding his whereabouts or means of contacting him. Elise has a limited relationship with her older sister, and while she is trying to reconnect, there have been many barriers. Recently, Elise formed a connection with a resource parent, which has led to a positive change in her behavior and outlook on life. She is now working towards building a lifelong relationship with her resource mother.

Elise is requesting a flip phone to stay connected. Having a flip phone will enable her to communicate with her resource mother, support team, and friends as she works on building a long-term relationship with her resource parent. This ability to communicate will help her integrate into community activities, such as joining the local gym and signing up for art classes.