At Ready for Life, our mission is fostering hope
Our Founders
The Panza's have over thirty years of experience with foster children and group home level children, office management and social work. Better Choices, Inc./Ready for Life embodies Rick and Nena's philosophy regarding the care and well-being of foster children. After years of working with displaced foster youth, they realized that traditional foster care was not always able to provide the children with adequate vocational, social, and life skills necessary to make them 'Ready for Life' after foster care ended. Their immediate needs were often met, but their spiritual and long-term needs and goals were often left unattended. Ready for Life was founded in 2000 because of one family's compassion for children.
Our Board
We are governed by a small and cohesive Board of Directors who share a commitment to bettering the lives of children in Northern California. This group of community leaders brings wisdom and fiduciary oversight to our agency.
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Our Philosophy
Our logo shows a butterfly emerging from a broken circle. It is a symbol of the transformation that can occur as we pray daily for children and place them in caring, structured, therapeutic foster homes.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards.
Better Choices, Inc./Ready for Life continuously improves, learns and strives for excellence in the provision of services to the children and families under the care and supervision of the agency. To learn more about Ready for Life Foster Family Agency, check out our 2022 Annual Report.
Meet the Staff
Nena Panza
Chief Executive Officer
Nena has more than 20 years experience in foster family agency management and administration. In addition, she was a foster parent for ten years and had more than thirty children, ages 18 months to 18 years live in her home. Her vision is to see foster children be socially, vocationally and spiritually Ready for Life. She is dedicated to seeing children succeed and be responsible young adults.
Megan Preller, M.S.W
Administrator/Supervising Social Worker & Host Homes Program Coordinator
Megan has over twelve years experience in the foster care system. She began her time at Ready for Life as Administrative Assistant, later becoming a Support Counselor where she worked with a number of Intensive Treatment Foster Children and now works as Administrator and Supervising Social Worker. Megan recently started the Host Homes program, which serves housing unstable young adults (ages 18-24) in Shasta County. Megan graduated from Chico State where she received Master's in Social Work. Megan is passionate about the children and families of Ready for Life and has devoted her life’s work to loving and supporting them. She joined the Ready for Life family in 2008.
Sean Griffiths Host Homes Intern
Sean joined the Ready for Life Team in 2023. He is dedicated to serving the youth who visit our Resource Center. Sean assists the team by providing the visitors with valuable resources, and creating a safe, welcoming space for them to spend time.
Shelly Halverson Host Homes Case Manager
Shelly joined the Ready For Life team in 2024. She is dedicated to providing resources, support, and a safe space for the guests in our Host Home Program.
Adele Earle
Administrative Assistant & Records Coordinator
Adele joined the Ready for Life family in 2021. She has been married to her husband, a physical therapist, for 29 years and a stay at home mom for 22 years. She has been very active in church and volunteered in childcare and women's ministry. She also volunteered and worked part time at a private Christian school. She enjoys the outdoors (gardening, camping, hiking, boating) and loves cooking and redecorating spaces. She is excited to be a part of the RFL team!
