Child Advocates sent a press release out to local media groups about the need for volunteers. The information was published on several different days by different newspapers and the phone has been ringing off the hook. Our goal is to have 40 new volunteers by March 1, 2008.

Articles Published:

July 11th- Be the Difference. Become a CASA Volunteer (Lee Weaver, The News Mirror)

July 18th- Volunteers can make a difference (Front Page of YourHub.com)

July 19th- CASA volunteers helping kids (The Bowie News)

Press Release

New CASA volunteers Jerry, far left, Ann, second from right, and Sheila, join District Judge Roy Sparkman following their recent swearing in ceremony.

Did you know that every eight minutes a child in Texas is abused or neglected. In Wichita and Montague counties, we see abuse and neglect at a rate two times that of the national rate. We cannot ignore the facts. These children need us to speak up for them and be their voice. As a CASA volunteer, you can be the difference. As a CASA volunteer, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, you can be a voice in court for a child.

Emily Streeton, Executive Director of Child Advocates said, "New cases come in every week, so we are looking for volunteers to become the voice for these children who have been abused or neglected."

In June, we had three volunteers complete training, including Jerry, a USPS employee; Ann, a retired Air Force Major; and Sheila, a Respiratory Therapist. "Our volunteers come from diverse backgrounds, age groups and careers. And although our volunteers are all different, the one thing they do have in common is a passion for kids" Streeton said.

"As a CASA volunteer you are there to safeguard the best interests of children that are in state custody due to abuse or neglect. Your job is to get to know the child and ensure their needs are met while they are in care. A CASA volunteer also interviews the parents, family members, school officials, health providers, and others who know the child's history," she said. "It's always our goal to reunite the child with their biological parents, but when that's not possible, the judge looks to CASA to make recommendations based on the child's needs. CASA volunteers are unique in that they are able to focus on one case at a time and really spend a lot of time on the case.”

Volunteers need to be at least 21 years of age, pass an extensive background check, and go through an interview to ensure they are a good fit with the program goals. We do not have education or special training requirements, but we do ask our volunteers to complete 30 hours of train¬ing led by our staff and other professionals in the community. The volun¬teers must also commit to at least 12 to 18 months of volunteer work on a case because our children need stability during such an emotional time in their lives. "It wouldn't be fair for a child to be in the middle of a case and lose their CASA volunteer," Streeton said." A lot of times these children depend on their CASA volunteers for emotional support."

If you would like to learn more about what it is like to be a CASA volunteer, we invite you to attend one of our orientation sessions at our office on 808 Austin on either July 18 at 5:30 p.m. or July 24 at noon.

Our next CASA volunteer training class starts July 31st. Call Charlene at 940-766-0552 or visit www.casawf.org for more information about becoming a CASA volunteer for Child Advocates.

(Source: Child Advocates)