CASA - Hope For Children
Tonight from 5:00-6:00 Mineral Wells Chevy will host Cocktails for Charity, a United Way event that raises money for various Non-profit organizations throughout our community. Tonight's featured charity is CASA. Join us for Beer, Margaritas and Appetizers to learn more about how you can impact the lives of the children in social services who are truly in need of your service. A huge thank you to United Way for allowing us the honor of hosting tonight's event.
CASA, stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA volunteers are provided to children in foster care or involved in Social Services or Child Protection Services cases. Their CASA is their to provide them with a voice, a foundation, and hope! These volunteers donate their time and travel to appear in court on behalf of the children. They stay in constant contact with the kids and they provide an outlet and a steady relationship that children can lean on and trust in the most trying time of their life. It is a sad fact that there are currently over 300 cases of abused or neglected children in Palo Pinto and Parker County, right now. These children come from various situations but have a unified need for someone to step in and be "their voice". CASA does this. They bridge the gap from the struggles to the needs of the child.
CASA has impacted the lives of children by being a constant force in their life. They serve not only as their "advocate" but often as their friend or even family. The kids develop a strong connection and learn to lean on their CASA. These volunteers give so much of themselves to children who are enduring the unthinkable.
A sweet baby boy was born at only 30 weeks gestation, and placed into the NICU. His mother had used many illegal substances during her pregnancy and this baby boy was now struggling with many withdrawal symptoms, while also being premature and only weighing 3 pounds. CASA – Hope for Children was called late one Friday evening as this sweet boy was now being moved to protective custody due to many known drug users having access to him and his mother being neglectful of him in the hospital. The very first Christmas baby boy would have was going to be spent alone, until a CASA was appointed to his case. His CASA spent that weekend checking in on him and taking him his very first Christmas gifts. The first person to be able to hold this sweet baby boy was his CASA. His first Christmas was spent surrounded by love and compassion, from his CASA.
"Our goal is to reduce the trauma of children in Child Protective Services by matching a child with a trained CASA volunteer who will offer support for the child through a long-term consistent relationship. The volunteer will explore and recommend resources and options available for the child and will offer the child guidance and information in understanding and dealing with the complex, unfamiliar court, and child welfare system."
To advocate vigorously for the rights of abused and neglected children in Palo Pinto and Parker Counties ensuring that all "reasonable efforts" have been made for a child at every stage of the Child Protective Service process.
To improve the quality of information presented to the courts on behalf of the child by informing the court of the child's adjustment and state of mind. This is done by gathering relevant information and making appropriate case recommendations in a written case report to the judge overseeing the child's case.
To develop and implement a sound program management plan which includes recruitment, retention, supervision, and training of a competent volunteer corps which is ethnically, racially, and linguistically representative of the population to be served.
- See more at: http://www.casahopeforchildren.org/menus/about-casa.html#sthash.SD3RWfhO.dpuf
There are several ways you can become involved with CASA and the great work they are doing for the children in our community. If you are unable to give your time but, you would like to make a donation you are certainly able to do that as well.
