The Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® is pleased to announce that New Mexico Child First Network has been selected as the 2025 GAAR REALTOR® Fund Grant Recipient, receiving a $45,000 grant to support its work with children in foster care and the caregivers who serve them.

The award was presented during the REALTOR® Fund Giving Lunch on Wednesday, December 3rd, where Executive Director Maralyn Beck attended to accept the grant on behalf of the organization.

Investing in Stability for Foster Families

New Mexico Child First Network (NMCFN) is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children in foster care through trauma-informed training, advocacy, and community support for foster, kinship, and adoptive caregivers. According to their application, New Mexico currently faces the highest rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the country, and nearly one in three foster families quits within their first year due to a lack of meaningful support.

This grant will allow NMCFN to address that challenge by launching a groundbreaking initiative.

Introducing “Care Communities” Pilot

A New Wrap-Around Support Model for Foster Parents

New Mexico Child First Network will use the 2025 grant to pilot “Care Communities,” a structured support model built around small teams of trained volunteers. Each Care Team will consist of 8 to 10 volunteers who work together to provide ongoing, practical, and emotional support to a foster family throughout their placement journey.

Volunteers will assist with service-based support like family meals, errands, child engagement, and caregiver relief. The consistent involvement of a dedicated team reduces burnout, increases placement stability, and lessens the likelihood of additional trauma for children.

NMCFN notes that every time a foster placement fails, a child experiences another source of trauma. The goal of the Care Community model is to give caregivers the extra hands, consistent presence, and encouragement needed to remain in fostering longer and to strengthen the stability of each home.

The program’s long-term vision is ambitious and hopeful:

A future where any foster family in New Mexico who wants a Care Community can have one.

How the Grant Will Be Used

The $45,000 funding will allow NMCFN to:

• Train and support the first cohort of Care Community volunteers, using a trauma-informed curriculum built specifically for foster care support.
• Administer and monitor the six pilot Care Teams, including weekly check-ins and program oversight, as recommended by states already testing similar models.
• Develop a scalable statewide model that can be replicated far beyond the initial six families.
• Collect both qualitative and quantitative data to measure caregiver retention, well-being, volunteer experience, and child outcomes.

NMCFN emphasized that this grant provides the financial room needed to launch the program responsibly and with strong fidelity, ensuring that volunteers are equipped and families are supported from day one.

A Shared Commitment to Home and Community

REALTORS® understand that “home” is more than a roof and four walls. It is safety, stability, and a sense of belonging. By awarding the 2025 GAAR REALTOR® Fund Grant to New Mexico Child First Network, GAAR members are helping to extend that sense of home to children who need it most.

We congratulate Maralyn Beck and the entire New Mexico Child First Network team on being selected as this year’s recipient, and we thank them for their tireless advocacy on behalf of children in foster care and the families who care for them.

To learn more or to support their work directly, visit New Mexico Child First Network online at nmchildfirst.org.

About the GAAR REALTOR® Fund

The REALTOR® Fund is GAAR’s permanent endowment, established to create a lasting legacy of giving in the Greater Albuquerque area. Managed in partnership with the Albuquerque Community Foundation, the Fund has donated more than $500,000 to over 50 local nonprofits since its creation, with the goal of reaching even more organizations that strengthen our communities. (GABOR)

Each year, one local charity is selected through a competitive grant process to receive a single $45,000 award, supported entirely by contributions from GAAR REALTORS®, Affiliates, and community partners throughout the year. 

The 2026 REALTOR® Fund Grant application will open on April 1st. Learn more at gaar.com/fund.