Community, whether we are aware of it or not, is something we all seek out in our daily lives. It can look a lot of different ways such as: game nights with friends, joining a workout class or social sport, talking with folks at a coffee shop or joining a religious community. Seeking community is a way that we build connection with others and get support when we need it. When I think about the Buddy Family Program, that is what I think about: community, connection and through that, support.
So, what is a Buddy Family? A Buddy Family is an individual or family that has the want and capacity to be a support for both adoptive caregivers and youth through proactive respite. Respite is an important tool and resource when it comes to foster care and adoption which can be pivotal when things get hard. Growing up, respite for my parents (and myself) looked like me going to my grandparents for a week or my aunt’s house for an overnight. When we think about it that way, we all utilize respite. For an adoptive youth and caregivers, we want to create that same natural support through the Buddy Family Program.
Our Buddy Families go through a training process and background check and once completed are matched based on capacity and need with adoptive caregivers and youth.
Maybe you are someone who is considering foster care and/or adoption. Maybe you are someone who has lived experience in the foster care and/or adoption system or maybe you have a family member or child who has lived experience. There are many different reason folks look into becoming a Buddy Family.
If you are considering adoption in the future, we highly encourage you to consider being a respite provider through our Buddy Family program as it is an incredibly unique way to gain insight in what adoption can look like. As an added bonus, you can build connections with those who have gone through the process and could be potential supports for you when you go through the process yourself. Being a Buddy Family and providing respite for current pre-adoptive and adoptive families is an excellent way to not only gain experience with youth that have experience with foster and adoption, but to also learn about your capacity, gain skills and increase your insight on your hopes for your future family.
If you are looking for a unique way to volunteer and build community and connection, I highly recommend looking into and learning more about becoming a Buddy Family and the process. If you have any questions please reach out to me, Grid, at ingrid@ampersandfamilies.org. I am excited to hear from you!
