Mila, 18 years old, NJ

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Mila experienced a challenging childhood, witnessing her parents' ongoing substance abuse and domestic violence. Mila was removed from her parents, reunified, and re-removed three times over her childhood. Hardworking, conscientious, and with great resilience, Mila persevered and successfully graduated high school with excellent grades. A year ago Mila started college, taking classes in social work and child advocacy, with dreams of helping to support other children who end up in the system as she did. With all that she has experienced in life, Mila feels a lot more mature than her peers at school. She wants to focus on her studies, and her academic progress. She has therefore decided to live off campus in her own apartment while she attends college.

Mila is wishing for essential kitchen items, including plates, pots, pans, and bakeware, to help her set up her new off-campus apartment. Moving into her own place is an exciting milestone, but doing so without family support means she is facing the overwhelming task of furnishing her entire home on her own. Having these fundamental cooking tools will allow Mila to prepare nutritious meals at home, stay on budget, and turn her new apartment into a comfortable, self-sufficient space where she can thrive academically and personally.