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 100+ YEARS TO MEET URGENT AND EMERGENT NEEDS, OUR FOCUS ON SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, ADOPTEES AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM HAS NEVER WAVERED. AMARA SERVED 1,419 PARENTS AND 1,112 CHILDREN IN 2023.

RESOURCE CARE PROGRAM: OUR RESOURCE CARE PROGRAMS CONSIST OF 3 PROGRAMMATIC AREAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. AMARA'S FOSTER CARE SERVICES, KINSHIP CARE SUPPORT, AND FAMILY CONNECTIONS PROGRAMS USE A REUNIFICATION-FOCUSED APPROACH AND RECRUIT, PREPARE, AND/OR PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ADULTS AS THEY CARE FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THEIR PARENTS' CARE. PROGRAM STAFF SUPPORT CAREGIVERS IN NAVIGATING THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH A CHILD'S FAMILY AND COMMUNITY, AND OBTAIN THE RESOURCES AND TRAINING NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE WELLBEING OF THE CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE. AMARA WORKS WITH FAMILIES FROM A BROAD RANGE OF ETHNICITIES, BELIEF SYSTEMS, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, GENDER IDENTITIES AND EXPRESSIONS, AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES AS THEY SUPPORT CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THEIR FOSTER CARE JOURNEY. AMARA IS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING RACIAL DISPROPORTIONALITY WITHIN FOSTER CARE AND TO MAINTAINING BIRTH FAMILY TIES WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

FAMILY PRESERVATION PROGRAMS: OUR FAMILY PRESERVATION PROGRAMS FOCUS ON PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE THE FACTORS THAT LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS THROUGH CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. AMARA ADDRESSES ROOT CAUSES OF CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT THROUGH OUR FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH HELPS FAMILIES ACCESS RESOURCES, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND CONCRETE GOODS SO THAT POVERTY AND LACK OF SUPPORT DO NOT PUSH FAMILIES FURTHER INTO CRISIS. FAMILY PRESERVATION PROGRAMS ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO PARENTS WHO ARE AT A HIGH RISK FOR HAVING THEIR CHILD(REN) REMOVED FROM THEIR CARE, PARENT FOCUS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS TO PARENTS WHO MAY BE FAST-TRACKED TOWARDS REUNIFICATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD COURT PROGRAM. FURTHERMORE, WE SUPPORT PARENTS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REUNIFIED WITH THEIR CHILDREN TO ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEM REFORM AND INFORM PARENT SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMMING. FAMILY PRESERVATION PROGRAMS ALSO SEEK TO FOMENT AND STEWARD THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES OF ORIGIN THROUGH SUPPORTING POST-ADOPTIVE FAMILIES IN MAINTAINING OPENNESS WITH CHILDREN'S EXTENDED FAMILIES AND SUPPORTING BIOLOGICAL PARENTS THROUGH SOME OF THE NUANCES OF OPEN ADOPTION AGREEMENTS. LASTLY, WE PROVIDE EDUCATION AND PEER SUPPORT GROUPS BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON TO HELP IMPROVE PARENT AND CAREGIVER WELLBEING AND SKILL-BUILDING, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO BUILD SUPPORTIVE PEER NETWORKS.