Stories and News - Amara

Stories and News

We believe in the power of stories.

There is nothing we can say that is more powerful than what our families and their kids say in their own words. Watch, read, and listen to their stories and experiences — and stay in the know about the latest happenings at Amara.

A Network of Family: Katie and Caitlin’s Story

“I feel like our lives have been really enriched, but it was always in the purpose of keeping the girls connected to their people. That has felt like we’ve forged really amazing relationships with their birth families and it’s been incredible.”

See Their Story
Tommy

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
Katy Klein

When Inspiration Calls – A TAFI Story

We are grateful for the incredible and selfless dedication of all our volunteers. Those who have been working on The Adoption Files Initiative (TAFI) have spent thousands of hours reviewing hundreds of decades-old adoption files from many years ago when many adoptions were secretive. Our volunteers’ work, along with the dedication of Amara staff members,
Speaking Of Change Series Logo - Yellow circle with Speaking of Change written in the middle and a connected blue line around the edge

The Power of Community-Centered Program Design

Amara has launched several new programs to serve kids and families lately. One of the key “ingredients” in these new programs is the wisdom of people with lived experience. Their input infused each program so we could find ways to best serve kids and families, and ways to reduce possible barriers to reaching the programs
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
Speaking Of Change Series Logo - Yellow circle with Speaking of Change written in the middle and a connected blue line around the edge

Speaking of Change in Foster Care and Adoption Series

We're peeling back the curtain on foster care and adoption! Join us on March 30th from 12:00-1:00pm as we take a deep dive into what our foster care program actually does for kids and families, what makes Amara’s approach unique, and what we’ve learned as we’ve transformed our approach over the past decade.
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Amara Opens New Family Resource Center

Essential concrete goods and helpful information about local resources can be difficult for families to find. Last week Amara opened our new Family Resource Center in our Tacoma office. On our first day we provided groceries for a family and provided housing resources to help keep another family in their home. By providing families with
Family,of,three,having,fun,together,in,a,field

Amara Launches Parent FOCUS Program

This week, in partnership with the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Amara launches a new program to strengthen families in the Aberdeen and Spokane areas and help prevent the need for foster care. Our Parent FOCUS (Family Outreach, Connections, and Unconditional Support) program supports families who have been referred by the state for
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
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Amara and Nonprofit Partners Work Together To Expand Access to Food and Other Essentials

Being in community as a nonprofit can make a huge difference for families experiencing tough times. And when nonprofits partner to serve more families together than they could individually, they can reach and help more people. A great case in point is how Amara and the Making a Difference Foundation are working together to expand