Korean American Family Services

Asian Foster Family Initiative

KFAM is the nation’s first and only Asian Pacific Islander (API)-focused Foster Family Agency with services available in Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog and Vietnamese. The Asian Foster Family Initiative (AFFI) recruits and trains API resource (foster) families to provide culturally sensitive homes to API foster children.

KFAM is CARF Certified since 2019, For those being served, CARF accreditation means that the CARF-accredited service provider is committed to reducing risk, addressing health and safety concerns, respecting preferences of individuals (cultural or otherwise) and providing the best quality of care possible.

Learn how you can become a
Resource (Foster) parent!
Call (213) 389-6755 or email affi@kfamla.org

Visit AFFi's Facebook Page for Event Information

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Learn about AFFI

The Problem

Who is a Resource (Foster) Parent

Am I eligible to become a Resource (Foster) Parent?

What Resources Are Available?

What is the application process?

Brochures

Become a Resource (Foster) Parent

AFFI Volunteer

Retirement brightens for new Korean foster parents

Published in the Los Angeles Times by Steve Lopez

One night in mid-September, Gabriel and Elizabeth Cho couldn't sleep. The retired San Dimas couple were too excited about what the next day would bring. Mrs. Cho prayed, and she thought about preparing a second casserole, just in case one of her guests didn't care for kimchi jjigae. Read More >>

Learn More

English

Korean

Chinese
查看中文宣传册：点击这里

Tagalog

The Problem

Annually, in the U.S., there are over 400,000 children in the foster care system. These children are temporarily removed from their parents’ care due to neglect, abandonment, and/or abuse. In contrast, only 200,000 Resource (Foster) families are available to take care of them. In Los Angeles County alone, there are nearly 35,000 children in foster care, but only about 3,000 Resource (Foster) homes. These children are survivors of abandonment, abuse and neglect. They are in dire need of loving and caring families.

In Los Angeles County, there are over 600 Asian American Pacific Islander (API)children in the foster care system. However, there are only a few approved API Resource (Foster) families who may serve as a culturally-appropriate match. Children of immigrant households often do not learn English until they start Kindergarten or later. Being placed in non-API Resource (Foster) homes that lack knowledge about the children’s language, food or culture can compound the existing anxiety, confusion and trauma.

Who is a Resource
(Foster) Parent?

A Resource (Foster) Parent is someone who provides a temporary safe, stable, and loving home for a child or children. You will help them reunite with their birth parents or family member when the family problems have been resolved. Being a foster parent is a major responsibility. KFAM provides personal training, support, financial and medical assistance to foster parents.

Am I Eligible to Become
a Resource (Foster) Parent?

Flexibility, a sense of humor, willingness to grow and learn, and a commitment to provide a safe, stable, nurturing, and loving home for a child.
You may be single, married, divorced, or living with a partner.
You may live in an apartment or house, as long as you have enough room for the child.
No minimum income is required, but you must be able to support yourself.

For working parents, appropriate childcare arrangements need to be made.
You may be of any race, ethnicity, culture religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

What Resources
Are Available?

Personal Support

Your social worker will prepare, train, and support you through the foster preparation process. You will also be connected with community resources that you might need. If you choose to adopt a child, post-adoptive services are available to all adoptive families.

Financial/Medical Support

You will receive medical and dental coverage for your child, as well as monthly financial support until the child is 18. Also, if a child has mental health and/or medical needs, increased foster and adoption assistance payments are available.

What is the
Application Process?

There is no fee to become a Resource Parent (Foster and/or Adoptive Parent). With a completed application, it takes about 3-6 months to go through the process; but remember everyone’s situation is different and therefore timeframes will vary. Once you are approved, the type of child who you want to parent will affect how quickly a child can be placed with you.

If you would like more information about becoming a Resource (Foster) parent, please do not hesitate to call us at (213) 389-6755.

Brochures

AFFI (English)

AFFI (Korean)

AFFI (Chinese)

AFFI Volunteers

If you are interested in helping but do not believe you have the ability to take in a child, consider volunteering with us! Please fill out the volunteer application form below and email it to sslee@kfamla.org. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to 213-235-4869 for more information.” Interested applicants should complete the AFFI Volunteer Application Form [Click here]

Become a Resource (Foster) Parent

Welcome and thank you for your interest in becoming a Resource (Foster) Parent! To find out more information, please click below to proceed to our Online Orientation Video:

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Office:	(213) 389-6755
Fax:	(213) 389-5172