Kinship Care Archives - Amara
Families gathered at Amara's Family Resource Center

Amara Celebrates a Generous Grant from the Ballmer Group

Amara received a generous multi-year grant totaling $2 million from the Ballmer Group earlier this year. This grant is supporting Amara’s mission to help children and families most impacted by Washington’s child welfare system. Together, Amara and the Ballmer Group intend to help transform the child welfare system in ways that reduce systemic injustice and

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Amara STAR Youth’s Summer of Care and Connection

Amara launched our new youth development program, STAR Youth (Supported, Thriving, Authentic & Resilient) this summer and we are excited to share our experiences and our gratitude to everyone who made our summer camps possible. For five weeks in July and August, our Youth Development Team led week-long day camps for kids and teens ages

laughing toddler with curly hair

Kin Connections Can Provide a New Circle of Support

Sometimes even simple things, like finding baby essentials, can become overwhelming and complicated for a parent or caregiver. Suppose you need diapers for a rambunctious toddler, but you have no transportation, no local family or friends who can pick some up, and the diaper bank you turn to for help only carries brands that the

U.S. Supreme Court stock photo by Anna Sullivan

Supreme Court Upholds ICWA

Amara is relieved the Supreme Court today affirmed tribal sovereignty by upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act. ICWA is a necessary protection for Native American children, families, and culture. Native families endured decades of forced family separation that sent Indian children to harsh, abusive “boarding schools” where any expression of their tribal culture was forbidden.

Fcp Hb 1204 Bill Signing

A Big Day for Amara’s Family Connections Program

Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1204, better known as the “Implementing the Family Connections Program” bill, into law April 20, 2023. This means that Amara’s Family Connections Program is now a permanent program, serving parents and caregivers involved in the child welfare system. Several Amara staff testified in support of this important bill, including

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Local Barber Making a Big Difference for Kids in Foster Care

Tommy Andrade’s mantra is: “If you want to make an impact, you don’t have to change the whole world. You can plant a seed in your own community.” For him, this means supporting kids and families in foster care. Tommy is a barber and will offer free haircuts to kids in foster and kinship care

Pierce County Council

Amara Presents to Pierce County Council Human Services Committee

We love being in community and sharing about our work for kids and families. Nicole Mazen, Amara’s Chief Program and Policy Officer, and Julie Hoffman, our Pierce County Early Childhood Court Program Coordinator, recently presented about our programs and impact in Pierce County to the Human Services Committee at the Pierce County Council. Amara and

Mountain Road Road Through The Vineyards At Sunset. Wachau Valley"n

Sometimes Timing Is Perfect – Generous Gift Helps Kinship Family

It takes courage to reach out for help. And we’re honored a grandparent caring for their two school-aged grandchildren in King County entrusted us to help their family through our new Kin Connections program for support. Soon after reaching out to us, the grandparent shared that one of their family’s greatest needs was new tires