Amara

AMARA'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN FOSTER CARE HAS THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF A COMMITTED FAMILY - AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND FOR AS LONG AS EACH CHILD NEEDS. AMARA HAS BEEN SERVING WASHINGTON SINCE ITS FOUNDING AS MEDINA BABY HOME, A TRADITIONAL ORPHANAGE, IN 1921. WHILE AMARA'S SERVICES HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE PAST 101 YEARS TO MEET URGENT AND EMERGENT NEEDS AS WELL AS RESEARCH AND LEARNINGS IN THE CHILD WELFARE FIELD, OUR FOCUS ON SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, ADOPTEES AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM HAS NEVER WAVERED. AMARA SERVED 1,440 PARENTS AND 339 CHILDREN IN 2021

ADOPTION & FOSTER CARE SERVICES: THERE ARE CURRENTLY THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN LIVING IN TEMPORARY FOSTER CARE IN WASHINGTON. AMARA'S FOSTER CARE SERVICES PROGRAM FOCUSES ON FINDING, PREPARING, AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES AS THEY PARENT CHILDREN, NAVIGATE THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH A CHILD'S FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. AMARA WORKS WITH FAMILIES AS THEY WALK THROUGH THEIR FOSTER CARE JOURNEY. AMARA WORKS WITH FAMILIES FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF ETHNICITIES, BELIEF SYSTEMS, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, GENDER IDENTITIES AND EXPRESSIONS, AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING RACIAL DISPROPORTIONALITY WITHIN FOSTER CARE AND TO MAINTAINING BIRTH FAMILY TIES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THE FOCUS OF OUR FOSTER CARE SERVICES PROGRAM IS PREPARING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN COMMITTING TO CARE FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE FOR AS LONG AS EACH CHILD NEEDS. OUR FAMILY TIME PROGRAM FACILITATES VISITS BETWEEN CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES, AND FOSTER FAMILIES TO MAINTAIN OPENNESS AND CONNECTION, AND KEEP CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING AT THE CORE, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. OUR TEAM ENSURES THAT, WHILE CHILDREN ARE UNDER THE CARE OF FOSTER PARENTS, THEY HAVE HIGH QUALITY, ENJOYABLE VISITS WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT APPROVED.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH: COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ATTRACTING AND ENGAGING PROSPECTIVE FOSTER PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. IN ADDITION, COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH IS CHARGED WITH ELEVATING THE COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, ADOPTEES, AND THEIR FAMILIES; INCLUDING THE SPECIFIC INEQUITIES FACING CHILDREN OF COLOR. AMARA'S COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES ARE ROOTED IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND SEEK TO ELEVATE THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AS THEY ENTER, EXPERIENCE, AND TRANSITION OUT OF FOSTER CARE; AS WELL AS THOSE OF ADOPTEES, FOSTER FAMILIES, AND BIRTH FAMILIES.

POST-ADOPTION PROGRAM: RECOGNIZING ADOPTION AS A LIFE-LONG EXPERIENCE, AMARA'S POST-ADOPTION PROGRAM WORKS TO ENSURE THAT ADOPTEES AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM -- INCLUDING ADOPTIVE PARENTS AND BIRTH PARENTS -- RECEIVE SUPPORT IN ORDER TO PROMOTE STABILITY AND FULFILLING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. OUR POST-ADOPTION PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING PROGRAMING THAT RECOGNIZES AND SUPPORTS THE INTERCONNECTED WEB OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT FORM THE ADOPTION TRIAD (ADOPTEE, ADOPTIVE FAMILY, BIRTH FAMILY) AND BEYOND. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: STAR ADOPTEE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, PROJECT SEARCH AND REUNION, ADOPTION COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, AND OUR INCLUSIVE FAMILY SUPPORT MODEL.