Seeking Buddy Families for Respite

Do you want to make a difference in the life of a teen but can’t make the commitment to adopt right now?  Are you thinking about becoming an adoptive family some day, but want to first learn as much as possible about what a family built through older youth adoption looks like?  Maybe you have a lot of respect for people who adopt and wonder how you can help them in a very concrete way?

Take a look at becoming an Ampersand Families buddy family.

Building a new family through adoption from foster care is a wonderful and exhausting experience for the youth and parents. Buddy  families are just regular people in the community who step up to become part of the support network for an adoptive family.

Buddy families get to know parents and their new kids, and they help out by spending a couple evenings and one weekend a month with the youth, so that everyone can have a break from the intense work of family building.

Buddy families attend buddy family training, have a fingerprint background check, complete some components of the home study and might even go through the foster care licensing process (depending on the case).

An Enriching Experience

Have questions? Call or email us to learn more about joining our community of Ampersand Families buddy families.  Becoming part of the support network for a new family is a fulfilling and energizing experience for everyone!

Why choose Ampersand Families?

What being a Buddy Family means to us…

“We found our way into being a Buddy Family after stumbling upon Ampersand Families’ website and attending some of their trainings. Being a Buddy Family is a hands-on, meaningful way to support Ampersand’s mission and help adoptive families through their process of adjusting and solidifying as a family. As Ampersand says, adoptive families need a village to thrive. Not only do we provide monthly weekend buddy care for one Ampersand teen (“A”), we have also spent time together as families – going out to dinner, attending birthday parties for “A”, and trick or treating together. Being part of their village as a Buddy Family is a great way to positively impact newly forming families.”

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