by Angela Tucker In early April, I journeyed to Amherst, Massachusetts to present at the UMASS Rudd Adoption Research Program Conference. The conference is an annual gathering of academics from all over the United States where the biggest names in research, including Ruth McRoy and Ellen Pinderhughes, were on hand to represent their work on family preservation, openness in adoptions
News Type: Amara Blog
Nurturing Trust: My Amara Volunteer Story
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month! Join us as we celebrate our amazing Amara volunteers who ensure children entering foster care are cared for – physically and emotionally – in our Emergency Sanctuaries. by Susie Ulrickson I worked for many years as a pediatric nurse where I learned how strong and adaptable kids are – even when faced
An Interview with Pierce County Superior Court Judge Frank Cuthbertson
We are deeply concerned about the ongoing racial disproportionality in child welfare. Simply put, racial disproportionality means that, by percentage, children of color are overrepresented in our foster care system. This is particularly true for African-American children, who make up about 30 percent of children in foster care, but only 15 percent of the
Sanctuary Stories: Love, Patience and Understanding
by Alisha Goel, Emergency Sanctuary Volunteer Growing up, I was always searching for a volunteer opportunity that felt truly meaningful. Sorting donations and spending a day cleaning up my community felt rewarding in their own way, but I never truly felt like I could see the impact of my time. A few months ago, I
2018 Stella Mae Carmichael Award Recipients: Diana & Sergey Chudak
Diana and Sergey Chudak are changing children’s lives every day. They began working with Amara in 2015 and, over the course of three years, they have welcomed 12 children into their lives, caring for them and supporting them for however long is needed. One child has been with them two years. Another just arrived last
Sanctuary Stories: Nerves and Tall Towers
by Lindsay Craven, Therapeutic Childcare Specialist I wanted to share about a child we cared for recently in our Emergency Sanctuary Program. His words about our Sanctuary really touched me and, I think, are a simple and powerful statement about our work. This young man, and his brothers, who entered our care together had a
Farewell Reflections: Thinking Long-term for Children & Families
The following is a reflection from Kate Rocke, Amara’s Associate Director of Children’s Services, who has been a valued and influential member of Amara’s team for the past five and a half years. She will soon be departing Amara for new adventures and we are grateful for her years of leadership contributing to children’s well-being
Let’s Talk About the Term “Foster-to-Adopt”
The term “foster-to-adopt” is a very common phrase. It refers to the process that many families go through before adopting children for whom they were first foster parents. At Amara we try to avoid the term “foster-to-adopt”, instead using “fostering and adoption”. And while this may seem like just semantics, it is much more important
How (And Why) We Embrace Challenging Conversations About Adoptees
By Angela Tucker, Post-Adoption Program Manager We know you’ve experienced it, too. That well-intentioned (nosy?) grocery clerk who curiously inquires, “Are you her real mom?” You knew this question was coming after she uttered that first word, by the quizzical look in her eyes. You wonder: Should I educate her about the adoption process? Should