The AML Foundation, through its Family Building Fund, supports two major projects: The Forever Families Project and The Funding Futures Project.

The Forever Families Project provides grants to assist parents, adopting through foster care, with pre and post adoption support. Pre-adoption support can include assisting a foster child, who has been separated from a sibling, with the opportunity to visit that sibling. Did you know that sibling groups are sometimes not adopted together and can easily lose contact with biological brothers or sisters? This can cause serious emotional setbacks that can hinder a child’s healthy development. The opportunity to share time and connect can mean so much. It can turn a life around!

Post adoption support, under The Forever Families Project, often goes to help families ‘at risk’ of returning their adopted child/children to the state – usually for reasons of behavioral or attachment challenges; challenges that can often be worked through when support exists.

Did you know that in 2007, roughly 68 New Mexico children were returned to State custody? This is a tragedy for everyone involved – especially for the child. If AML, working with the Children, Youth, and Families Department, can identify these ‘at risk’ families in time – we have the opportunity to help forge a lasting family unit.
 

The Funding Futures Project assists the all too many young people in northern New Mexico and across our state, who ‘age out’ or are ‘aging out’ of the foster care system without being adopted. Grants are made for specific functions or goods and are aimed at helping these young people become independent and productive adults.

Did you know that kids in foster care are often shuffled through many foster homes by the time they ‘age out?’ They move to a different foster home – a different foster family – and must quickly learn new rules, eat new food, and fall asleep in a different bed that isn’t theirs and will likely be a temporary place of rest.

One young man, who was starting his life outside of our state’s foster care system, needed a bed. AML, through Funding Futures, provided the grant. He said to his social worker with amazement, “I’ve never had my own bed before.” The bed is a symbol of hope and future for this young man. This simple gesture can spark the inspiration for success.

Please help us continue the important work being done through Forever Families and Funding Futures, by donating to the AML Family Building Fund. You will help transform young lives in New Mexico.