Great things big and small happen when communities come together to support kids and families. Last week, Amara hosted our first Open House for our Family Resource Center in Pierce County. The Open House brought together local nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving kids and families for an afternoon of connecting with folks at our Tacoma campus. Several families picked up clothing, toys, books, school supplies, diapers, and food from our food pantry made possible by Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank.
During a short program at the event, we acknowledged the native American tribes who have stewarded the land for eons, the Puyallup & Coast Salish people past, present, and future. We are grateful for a meaningful introduction and welcome by Toby Joseph, Director of Consultants for Indian Progress, and Colette August, Executive Director of the Tahoma Indian Center—an Amara program partner. Amara’s CEO Scarlett Aldebot-Green shared about our plans for the property, and Deborah Collins, Associate Director of Parent Support Programs, and Michelle Perry, Family Advocate, shared about the Family Resource Center, and how sometimes, one of the biggest needs people have is simply having a supportive person listen to their story and help them with a few essentials.
We enjoyed meeting with families and seeing kids excited about getting new toys and books. One family shared they were grateful for supplies not only for their family, but also for an extended family member’s family, who will soon welcome newborn twins. We also met Matt Nagle, reporter for the Tacoma Weekly, who wrote about our Family Resource Center and other services we provide in Pierce County. You can read his great article here.
Helping kids and families get the food and other essentials they need is possible because of Amara’s generous community of donors and supporters. Events like our open house and last summer’s King County Family Resource Day allow families to get some relief from the very real stress low incomes can cause. When families have what they need, they can focus on helping their children thrive.
If you’d like to help us keep our Family Resource Center shelves stocked, please visit our Amazon wish list.