Building a place where we all thrive.
Since 1921, Amara has been dedicated to meeting the needs of children and families in our community who have been impacted by foster care or adoption with a focus on those who are most impacted including Black and Indigenous children and families, low-income and LGBTQIA+ communities.
Throughout our history, we’ve sought to fill the gaps in the child welfare system by developing and providing innovative, trauma-informed programs and services for children in foster care, adoptees, and the constellation of families surrounding them. We focus on permanency for children in foster care by facilitating their return home, living with kinship caregivers (family members or close friends, for example), or by being adopted. And we drive systemic change by working to transform child welfare and family separation into lifelong wellbeing for children, adults, and families.
Improving Outcomes for Children and Families
Every day, in all our programs, we work toward positive long-term outcomes for kids, adults, and families who are or have been impacted by foster care and adoption. This means we support all forms of permanency for children whether through reunification, kinship or foster care, or adoption. We want children and families to have the tools they need to grow and thrive. This means we prioritize relationships, embrace openness, and value the inherent strengths of the children and families we work with. Click here to learn more in our new, scrollable brochure.
Centering Equity
Racism is one of the most persistent drivers of inequity in foster care and adoption. Black children and Indigenous children are more likely to be placed in foster care due to systemic racism or the impacts of poverty. LGBTQIA+ youth are disproportionately represented in foster care. We maintain an intentional focus on confronting and dismantling racism, as well as centering equity with respect to class, gender, sexual identity, and abilities, to make sure everyone in our community feels safe, supported and affirmed for who they are.
Re-envisioning Child Welfare
We are dedicated to working with our community to transform our child welfare system into one that prioritizes family wellbeing. We know the best way to support children and families and help them stay strong is to address the underlying causes of family separation, including the impacts of racism and poverty, by partnering with our community to create systemic change.