Short Summary
In a typical year more than 200 children move through the court system in Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler Counties of West Virginia. These children have been removed from their home through no fault of their own. Their families are in crisis. But the system is ill equipped to assure a child’s basic needs and rights are being protected. Too often a child can be placed in a different home from his sisters or brothers. Too often a single child can move to three or five foster homes in merely a matter of a year or two. Too often a child can languish for years without finding a stable home, only to ultimately “age out” of the system.
Our solution to such injustice begins with a single volunteer. More than a mentor or a special buddy. This volunteer is a Court Appointed Special Advocate, a “CASA volunteer.” Someone specially trained to know what is in a child’s best interest, and how to get those interests met by the system. Who knows how to help a child through his time of great vulnerability. A deeply committed adult. A person who will fight for this child, against all odds, against power, against bureaucracy and shortsighted agendas. Fight until that child understands that he has a right to believe in himself. Fight, until she can understand and advocate for her own inalienable rights. To live a life of destiny, rather than fate.
What We Need
CASA for Children Inc., a tax exempt non-profit agency is a volunteer based organization in Moundsville, West Virginia and serves four counties in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. CASA has been advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children since 2001, in Ohio County and expanded in 2003 to Marshall County. In 2010, CASA expanded again to Wetzel and Tyler Counties.
Our office operates with a full time director and one part-time volunteer coordinator. These 2 people recruit, train and supervise volunteers. CASA volunteers help the Judge determine permanent placement for a child. If the child does not have an advocate this process can take a long time. The hope is that with a volunteer’s help, a decision about what is in the best interest of the child can be expedited, so as not to linger in the system for years.
The most important support we receive is our volunteers who devote time. But we can still only reach around 70% of the kids in our community. This robs children of the life they deserve, and has a profound impact on our community and society’s future. If we help one child, we set a positive course for generations. Money raised would be used to offset the cost of recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers. We would be able to ensure that enough volunteers are trained to meet the need and that we can expand our volunteer base to reflect the diversity and cultural makeup of children in the system. We would also be able to concentrate our efforts on creating a critical mass of support to put child advocacy where it rightfully belongs in our social conscience.
For the first time in 12 years, our program is looking at the very real possiblity that we may shut our doors. That means 145 children without a CASA advocating for their needs. We are just 4 weeks away from closing down the center. We need your support to keep our doors open until July 1 when our next grant cycle begins. Federal and state grant dollars are being cut. Individual and corporate donations are more vital to our program.
The Impact
CASA is the solution. A properly funded CASA program can make all the difference to a child. CASA must continuously recruit volunteers to handle these cases. Before being accepted into the program, volunteers must pass a stringent assessment and background checks, they then attend thirty hours of nationally accredited training before being sworn in before the Judge. In addition, each sworn volunteer must fulfill 12 additional hours of training each year.
During 2012, CASA staff and volunteers provided services to one hundred thirty children and provided the Court with reports recommending a variety of services for abused children and their families. Our staff accompanied volunteers to more than 300 hearings this year. The Judges in our jurisdiction utilize the information learned from CASA volunteers to make important decisions in the lives of children. Because of CASA; 291 children have found their way to safe home. CASA is the only program of its kind. In the child welfare and family court systems, it was – and is – nothing short of a transformation. Everything is built around one child and one compassionate, highly trained adult advocate for that child.
When a child has a Court Appointed Special Advocate to speak for them:
• Time in dependent care is reduced
• Delinquency is less likely
• The Child has a better chance to bond with a permanent home.
If there is one characteristic that distinguishes the CASA organization, it would be ingenuity – that marriage of creativity and determination that makes just about anything possible. It is why we have such a long history of doing more with less. It’s why our track record is so good. Sheer unabashed creativity and determination. Driven as always, by doing whatever we have to for the children in our care.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:
- Please tell people about our campaign,and about our mission.
- Become a CASA volunteer. Go to www.casaforchildren.org to find a program near you.
- Remember you can use the Indiegogo share tools!
Thank you for taking the time to read about our program. Lift up a child's voice. A child's life.