Posted by Paul Anderson on May 01, 2019
Amy Hardin, Volunteer Services Coordinator for Hill Country CASA, informed the club about the organization's background, purpose and many successes here in our community.
 

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a national volunteer movement founded in 1977. Hill Country CASA is a member of the National and Texas CASA Associations. There are more than 1,000 CASA programs nationwide and 72 CASA programs in the state of Texas.

 

Hill Country CASA provides volunteers who passionately advocate for abused and neglected children.

 

When a child enters the foster care system because his or her home is no longer safe, a judge may appoint a committed volunteer to help them. That volunteer is called a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA.

CASA volunteers are screened and highly trained and then appointed by judges to represent and advocate for a child’s best interests in the child protection system. CASA volunteers are each assigned to help one child or set of siblings at a time, so they can focus on giving that child or sibling group the individualized advocacy and attention they need. CASA volunteers save taxpayers money and children’s futures by helping children find a safe, permanent homes as soon as possible.

CASA continues to provide valuable volunteer advocacy for every abused child in the Hill Country. CASA volunteers serve as the “eyes and ears” for the judge in child welfare cases. This includes researching each child’s situation and making objective recommendations to help them reclaim their childhoods from abuse and neglect. CASA volunteers are frequently the only stable presence in these children’s lives as they navigate the foster care system. These volunteers bring three critical qualities to their work: they focus on one case at a time; they bring a unique perspective to the court case; and their sole objective is representing the best interests of the child.

Hill Country CASA volunteers have enabled the organization to provide representation for 100% of all children in their service area – 100%!!  There are currently over 80 volunteers working 83 cases – serving over 140 children in our community.  Volunteers spend countless hours and travel thousands of miles to help children in need.  The gig is not an easy one, but INCREDIBLY meaningful.  If this is for you, volunteer today!

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