AMP is a youth-driven, statewide group that seeks to unleash the full potential for personal growth among foster and adoptive children in Iowa. AMP offers leadership opportunities, service learning projects, speaking opportunities, and educational/vocational assistance. AMP also provides the life skills youth need to become self-sufficient, independent adults.
Achieving Maximum Potential
AMP Meetings
Who is Eligible?
AMP members are youth ages 13-23 who have been involved in foster care, adoption or other out-of-home placements.
What do AMP youth do?
- Train to become advocates for themselves and others.
- Participate in valuable leadership opportunities.
- Develop their voices by telling their own stories.
- Educate legislators, foster parents, the public, child welfare professionals and juvenile court representatives about foster care and adoption from the youth perspective.
- Build youth/adult partnerships in the community that create opportunities for service learning.
- Encourage others to open their homes to teens in foster care or those available for adoption.
- Provide understanding, support, and encouragement to one another.
- Gain the life skills necessary to become healthy, independent adults.
- Explore educational/vocational options to chart their path to become successful productive adults.
Where and when does AMP meet?
AMP meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Four Oaks Bridge (2100 1st Avenue NE in Cedar Rapids). Youth currently involved in foster care and former foster care youth are welcome to join us.
If you would like more information about this program, please contact the Fostering Futures office at 319-368-3376.
How can you help?
Let us speak. AMP youth have a compelling story to share. Please consider having them speak at your next luncheon, meeting or event.
Share a skill, talent or hobby! The majority of youth who reach adulthood while in foster care do not get the chance to develop critical life skills – skills that enable others their age to succeed. Please consider sharing your skills and knowledge with our young people. You can help them build a resume, fill out a car loan or college application, or understand personal finances, to name a few.
Donate a service or item. Teens leaving foster care have many needs that other teens coming of age are provided by their biological families. Furnishings, sheets, blankets, personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies, towels, kitchen supplies and more are all items these youth will need to live independently.