History

1921

Amara was established in 1921 as Medina Baby Home, a traditional orphanage. The following year, the agency became affiliated with the newly-chartered Seattle Community Chest, known today as United Way of King County.

 

1947

Amara, formerly known as Medina Children’s Services, pioneered efforts to find permanent homes for “harder-to-place” children, including sibling groups, children of color, and older children. The agency gained a reputation as a child-centered adoption agency.

 

1960

Amara initiated a three-year project to increase adoption opportunities for African American children. Amara also began placing children for adoption with single parents as one of the first adoption agencies to do so.

In the same period, Amara initiated a study that pointed to the value of early intervention with troubled families, to decrease the risk of abuse and improve parenting skills. This study contributed to the passage of legislation affecting the lives of children and families, including a landmark child abuse statute

 

1970

In the 1970s, Amara began providing comprehensive, school-based services for teen mothers.

 

1980

As the first private adoption agency in Washington State, Amara began facilitating adoptions by gay and lesbian parents, resulting in a strong presence within the LGBT community today.

 

1989

Amara initiated Project Mister to help teen males at risk of dropping out of school, incarceration, and violence by providing counseling, case management, and job preparation.

1999Amara was awarded a major, three-year grant from the federal government to increase adoption of African American youngsters. The grant supported a new initiative to encourage kinship adoption of African American children in foster care, thereby coming full-circle in the agency’s commitment to the needs of all children and building on decades of success in the field.

2008Amara established the Stella Mae Carmichael award in honor of its namesake, Ms. Stella Mae Carmichael ofBellingham, who served as foster parent to hundreds of children of all ages during her lifetime. Each year, Amara honors a foster or foster-to-adopt family, who opened thei

r hearts and homes in an especially kind and selfless way to children in foster care.