Stories and News

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

Local barber and Amara partner Tommy Andrade, and his partner Jeff Chou, have been reaching out to service providers to build a network of supporters who provide free and discounted services to kids in foster and kinship care. Friends of Southpaw invites other service providers to join them in making it a little easier for

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

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

Liam* and Anela* were unsure if becoming foster caregivers was right for them. “We heard stories that foster care [was] really difficult because you develop a bond with a kiddo and saying goodbye is hard,” said Anela.  Through Amara, they learned that providing foster care meant providing a temporary and loving home for kids until

Happy Pride! Our community of foster parents, kinship caregivers, staff, and volunteers would not be complete without the expansive love, care, and personhood of our LGBTQIA+ families. One of these Amara families shares, “Pride is something we try to engrain in all the kids who stay with us. Pride in the awesome humans they are…

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.

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

Oftentimes, children impacted by foster care struggle to cope with the trauma that comes from being separated from their families. For these kids, their entire life has been turned upside down, leaving them feeling stressed and anxious. Almost immediately, they must adapt to living in a house that smells different, eating food that tastes unusual,