Announcement from Alliance CaRES:
Amara will be joining CaRES as a contracted partner to lead the work providing support and resources to formal kinship caregivers across Washington.
Amara is well equipped to support caregivers because they have been helping meet the needs of children and families in the Puget Sound region, as a non-profit, mission driven organization, since 1921. Amara understands the unique needs of this group, and advocates for kinship as the best option for a child entering care, when possible.
Amara will be the primary CaRES contact for formal kinship caregivers, and will be a great resource for specialized support. As they get started, they are excited to partner with other kinship-serving organizations and systems, as well as explore creating new offerings.
In addition, Amara will be offering a focused area of support for both LGBTQ+ caregivers and caregivers supporting LGBTQ+ children and youth . Amara has a long history of LGBTQ+ equity in their programs and services. Their organizational mission prioritizes equity, inclusive policies and affirming practices, and they are committed to bringing that to their work with CaRES. Look forward to focused support groups and other outreach specific to LGBTQ+ populations.
Caregivers’ experience with CaRES will only be changing in that it will get even better. We plan to keep growing and building even more opportunities for caregivers to receive support, information and guidance. We recognize kinship caregivers are especially in need of connection to resources, which is why we are so happy to partner with Amara to provide extra support to this population. Amara will be dedicating three staff to our program whom we will add to our website once confirmed, and caregivers will be able to reach out to them directly.
You can learn more about this partnership on Amara’s website or on our own at alliancecarescommunity.org/kinship in the coming weeks.