Amara

We are thrilled to announce that Fahren Johnson has been appointed as Amara’s new Chief Executive Officer. Fahren brings lived experience and more than 25 years of expertise in youth and community development with her to Amara, and she has served on our Board of Directors for the past two years. Her career demonstrates a deep passion and unwavering commitment to ensuring that the voices of communities, children, youth, and families are always at the heart of the work.     “I am honored for the opportunity to lead our work as Amara’s next CEO. Foster care and youth development are two passions of mine, stemming from my lived experience and my heart work,” Johnson said. “I am excited to be a part of the Amara team, who are at the forefront of dismantling barriers and systems that hinder equitable access to essential services and support, particularly for our young people.”    Fahren starts in her new role on September 15th and is eager to get to know more of the Amara community, which she has already been a part of for many years as a member of our Board of Directors and Pierce County Advisory Council.    “The Amara Board of Directors is thrilled to continue her service, partnership, and leadership in this new capacity,” said Sara Wong, Amara Board Chair.     You can read more about Fahren and this news on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gTjUU9fc

Join us at Amara! Together, we can create a more equitable and inclusive society—starting within our organization. We strongly encourage candidates who have personal experience with foster care and/or adoption as well as candidates from diverse backgrounds – including communities of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities – to apply. https://lnkd.in/g3xUe5Ea #hiring #jobs #childwelfare #seattle #tacoma

We're excited to share that the next three people who submit photos to our Through the Foster Lens traveling photo exhibit will receive a $25 Target gift card! Photos can represent: • Something about your foster care experience • What you wish your foster care experience had been • What you hope for the future of children and families involved in foster care Through the Foster Lens will create a space for anyone with lived experience to share their thoughts and hopes to deepen our broader community’s connection and commitment to Amara’s work. This event will also serve as a fundraiser for Amara on Oct. 3rd in Tacoma to support our work with kids and families. Please submit your photo by 11:59pm on Sunday, August 4th, 2024. Visit us online for full details and to submit a photo: https://lnkd.in/dGKhYS4w #fostercare #livedexperience #tacoma

Amara’s Family Resource Center in our Tacoma office helps families with immediate needs such as food and diapers, as well as with connections to other resources such as healthcare, baby necessities, transportation, and parenting supports. Families do not need to “qualify” or prove “eligibility” for help. Many thanks to the Making A Difference Foundation (THEMADF SEATTLE) for making our food pantry possible. Find out more and see when we’re open at https://lnkd.in/ge26SUXU. #tacoma #piercecounty #makingadifference #resourcesforfamilies

Calling people with lived experience in foster/kinship care! Do you wish more people knew what it’s like to experience the child welfare system? We have a great opportunity to help you do that! We’re creating a traveling photo exhibit, Through the Foster Lens, to share photos taken by people with lived experience. Photos can represent: -Something about your foster care experience -What you wish your foster care experience had been -What you hope for the future of children and families involved in foster care Through the Foster Lens will create a space for anyone with lived experience to share their thoughts and hopes to deepen our broader community’s connection and commitment to Amara’s work. This event will also serve as a fundraiser for Amara, as guests will be invited to donate to support our work with kids and families. Please submit your photo by 11:59pm on Sunday, August 4th, 2024. Visit us online for full details and to submit a photo: https://lnkd.in/dGKhYS4w #fostercare #kinshipcare #childwelfare #livedexperience #photography

One hundred percent of the kinship families we served last year reported positive impact. Amara is proud and grateful to support the wonderful families taking care of family. Learn more about our impact: https://lnkd.in/g5eEu4gg #familywellbeing #childwelfare #kinshipcare

We are looking for new team members! If you have passion for working with children and families, please consider applying. We're looking for a new kinship placement manager, youth development specialist, and licensing & home study manager. https://lnkd.in/g3xUe5Ea #piercecounty #kingcounty #childwelfare #kinshipcare #fostercare #hiring #jobs

We’re looking for new Amara Ambassador Board members to help champion our work in the communities we serve. Our Ambassadors play a key role in expanding our network of supporters by sharing about our mission and inviting people to attend fundraising and community events. If you consider yourself to be a champion for kids and families experiencing the child welfare system and you’d like to gain board experience while joining with others who share your passion, please attend our summer kickoff and information session July 17 from 6 – 7:30 pm on our Seattle campus at 5907 MLK Jr. Way S. https://lnkd.in/gnig6izH

Eighty-two percent of kids in Amara foster homes reported increased well-being. You can learn more about our impact in our 2023 Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/g5eEu4gg #fostercare #childwelfare #familywellbeing #fosteryouth #impact

Thanks to the support of our compassionate community, Amara’s Family Resource Center (FRC) in Tacoma has been open and serving families for over a year. One family, who recently arrived in the United States, was having an especially hard time finding resources because they spoke no English. They didn’t have a place to live or know where or how to register their oldest child for school. When a new friend referred them to our FRC, our staff learned about their journey to the U.S. and what the family needed using an app-based Spanish translator. We helped the family find food, stable housing, health insurance, and register their child for school. Our super-helpful FRC staff also helped them find a car and even accompanied them to get a driver’s license. When families have what they need, the chance that they will be mistakenly reported to Child Protective Services is reduced. #resourcecenter #piercecounty #tacoma #helpingfamilies