AMARA
5907 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR WAY S, SEATTLE, WA 98118 www.amaraputskidsfirst.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: AMARA'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN FOSTER CARE HAS THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF A COMMITTED FAMILY - AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND FOR AS LONG AS EACH CHILD NEEDS. AMARA HAS BEEN SERVING WASHINGTON SINCE ITS FOUNDING AS MEDINA BABY HOME, A TRADITIONAL ORPHANAGE, IN 1921. WHILE AMARA'S SERVICES HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE PAST 99 YEARS TO MEET URGENT AND EMERGENT NEEDS, ITS FOCUS ON FINDING PERMANENCE AND STABILITY FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE HAS NEVER WAVERED. AMARA SERVED 551 PARENTS AND 1,100 CHILDREN IN 2019.

FOSTER CARE SERVICES: THERE ARE CURRENTLY THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN LIVING IN TEMPORARY FOSTER CARE IN WASHINGTON. AMARA'S FOSTER CARE SERVICES PROGRAM FOCUSES ON FINDING, PREPARING, AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES AS THEY PARENT CHILDREN, NAVIGATE THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH A CHILD'S FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. AMARA WORKS ONE-ON-ONE WITH FAMILIES AS THEY WALK THROUGH THEIR FOSTER CARE JOURNEY. AMARA WORKS WITH FAMILIES FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF ETHNICITIES, BELIEF SYSTEMS, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, GENDER IDENTITIES AND EXPRESSIONS, AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING RACIAL DISPROPORTIONALITY WITHIN FOSTER CARE AND TO MAINTAINING BIRTH FAMILY TIES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THE FOCUS OF OUR FOSTER CARE SERVICES PROGRAM IS PREPARING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN COMMITTING TO CARE FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE FOR AS LONG AS EACH CHILD NEEDS.

EMERGENCY SANCTUARY PROGRAM: AMARA'S EMERGENCY SANCTUARIES, LOCATED IN SEATTLE AND TACOMA, ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SHORT-TERM, TEMPORARY CARE FOR CHILDREN AS THEY INITIALLY ENTER THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. THROUGH THIS EFFORT, AMARA IS WORKING TO MEET AN URGENT NEED IN THE COMMUNITY BY SERVING CHILDREN IMMEDIATELY UPON THEIR REMOVAL FROM THEIR HOMES BY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO WAITING IN SOCIAL WORKERS' OFFICES OR IN A HOTEL. OUR SANCTUARIES PROVIDE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE BY TRAINED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AND OFFER CHILDREN A SAFE, STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR UP TO 72 HOURS, WHERE THEIR WELL-BEING IS ADDRESSED, SIBLING GROUPS ARE KEPT TOGETHER, WHILE STATE SOCIAL WORKERS AND FAMILIES WORK TOGETHER TO FIND THE BEST, SAFEST, LONG-TERM PLACEMENT. THE GOAL OF OUR SANCTUARY PROGRAM IS TO ENSURE THAT THE CHILDREN WHO STAY WITH US ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL SAFE, WELCOMED, AND IMPORTANT AS THEY TRANSITION BACK HOME WITH THEIR PARENTS, WITH RELATIVES, OR TO A LICENSED FOSTER HOME.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH: COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ATTRACTING AND ENGAGING PROSPECTIVE FOSTER PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. IN ADDITION, COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH IS CHARGED WITH ELEVATING THE COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, ADOPTEES, AND THEIR FAMILIES; INCLUDING THE SPECIFIC INEQUITIES FACING CHILDREN OF COLOR. AMARA'S COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES ARE ROOTED IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND SEEK TO ELEVATE THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AS THEY ENTER, EXPERIENCE, AND TRANSITION OUT OF FOSTER CARE; AS WELL AS THOSE OF ADOPTEES, FOSTER FAMILIES, AND BIRTH FAMILIES.

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