Saying yes to Becca. March 18, 2026 Sometimes saying yes with a heart full of love changes many lives. For grandparents Kristin* and Bill*, that moment came when the state asked if they would care for their grandchild. Saying yes opened the door to more changes than they ever could have imagined. Little Becca* came into the world with complex medical needs. She has many medical and therapy appointments every week and requires specialized medical equipment at home. Getting Becca the care, nutrition, and therapies she needs was a long, complicated, and sometimes frustrating journey for Kristin and Bill, who had just downsized their home and had hoped to enjoy retirement. Instead, after just two weeks of "retirement," they said yes to the state and to Becca. After Kristin and Bill navigated both the child welfare system and the medical system for about two years largely on their own, Amara's newly launched Caregiver Support Program connected with them and began offering support. Amara's Caregiver Support Supervisor Brenda helped the couple with court visits, which had been very difficult for them because Kristin has a hearing loss. She also assisted them with caregiver reports for the court and helped validate Becca's complex needs to the state so the family could get the essential equipment Becca needs to stay alive. When the bomb cyclone hit Western Washington in November 2024, Kristin and Bill's home lost power for six days. For Becca, it became a medical crisis. Brenda worked hard alongside Kristin and Bill to make sure the family will never have to experience anything like that again by advocating for a generator for the family that is powerful enough to run Becca's equipment. Looking back on everything they have faced since that life-changing phone call, Kristin reflected on how important it is to feel seen and supported. "Having someone who was outside the circle was really helpful. [Brenda] helped validate the times when I felt like my head was exploding," Kristin explained. "Validation is a big thing. A lot of people would have given up," she said. "We're not giving up. She's our granddaughter." *Names changed to protect privacy.

Amara launched its new youth development program, STAR Youth ( S upported, T hriving, A uthentic & R esilient) this summer and Amara is excited to share its experiences and its gratitude to everyone who made its summer camps possible.