Renee Banas (she/her) – Kin Link Program Director

Renee Banas (she/her) – Kin Link Program Director

Renee joined Ampersand Families in October 2017. She is thrilled to continue her work with an organization that supports children and families.

Renee earned her BA in Elementary Education from Concordia University St. Paul, and spent many joyous and chaotic years teaching young children both in the United States and Egypt. Her passion for cross-cultural communication led her to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Islamic Studies upon returning from Egypt. Prior to joining Ampersand, she worked at Catholic Charities meeting clients at all walks of life; refugees, young pregnant mothers, adults with disabilities, and homeless elders. She has discovered that there is much to be learned from each other through our inter-generational relationships, and what better way to begin doing that then within families?

In Renee’s spare time she enjoys outdoor adventures with her boys; hiking, swimming, biking, sledding and taking in a major league baseball game when they can. She also spends a good deal of time reading, writing and tending her gardens.

Posts by Renee:

Kin Link – Connecting Kids in Care to Family

Restoring Belonging The pendulum is shifting in child welfare towards recognizing that given the information and tools, families can and will care for their own. The Kin Link team is on the front lines working to ensure kids stay connected to family, community, and culture every step of the way. Family Matters Our work with… Read more

30 Days to Family® Program

So, what is the 30 Days to Family® program?  We know that every child entering the foster care system has a family and community.  We as workers just need to find them!  This is not always an easy endeavor, but the 30 Days to Family® program uses exhaustive and creative search efforts for family finding. … Read more

Our Mission

The mission of Ampersand Families is to provide permanency and adoption services to older youth and families who face barriers to equity in child welfare, and to champion systemic changes that advance belonging, dignity and hope.

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