Week 1
“In the hope that I can help one person, in one way, once. People ask me how I can do it and not get depressed or discouraged. I do it in the hope that by trying, I can do one thing along the way that makes a difference to someone. That’s worth it right? Maybe that 45 minutes I spent playing with a two year old shows him a different way. Maybe the time I listened to that mom, [I] helped her be a better version of herself that day. I can’t really know if or how I help. But I choose to believe I do. And that keeps me going!” – KC
Week 2
”I advocate for young people in state care, because no young person deserves to suffer neglect or abuse at the hands of the very people from whom they sprang, and then have to face the state and the legal system and capitalism all alone as children. If anybody deserves a helping hand, it is young innocents who have been punished for no reason but the luck of the draw. There is no worthier cause than to help preserve even one person's human potential.” – GG
Week 3
“I feel it is our responsibility to give all children an opportunity to meet their social, emotional, and academic potential. A wise person once told me that a child’s success heavily weighs on the ability to love and be loved, to self-advocate, and to have a passion... CASAs lead children toward success, and I am very proud to be a CASA.” – RW
Week 4
“I stumbled upon CASA when someone told me about the organization. I had never heard of it. Since becoming a CASA over a year ago, I have had the most rewarding experience working with a six-year-old girl. I feel that I not only make a difference in her life, but the entire experience has and continues to be extremely rewarding. To be able to advocate for someone who cannot advocate for themselves has always been a passion of mine. And I am so happy to have my CASA child in my life!!” – JS
Week 5
“To help children have a voice in situations where they often don’t... I am a mother myself, and I often think of children in foster care who don’t have someone looking out for them, like I look out for my own children. It’s not fair, and it’s not their fault. They deserve more!! This is why I am a CASA.” – JZ
Week 7
“Being a CASA volunteer can be heartbreaking as well as very rewarding. To hear the hardships the children go through is very difficult. On the other side, it feels great to have the ability to be the voice of the children in court. It’s very satisfying to help the children with their schoolwork and to make sure that they get the services they need. To see that smile is the reason I am a CASA.” – JS
Week 9
“I see the results of being there for the child immediately. I see the positive effects in the life of the child [with] every action I take. If I weren't there, things won't happen. I am an intermediary among all parties. I have access to the child and have constant communication. I know how she/he feels, [and] I am able to help in most of the circumstances.” – MD
Week 11
“I want to help families. I believe that I can help to connect the families with the various services they need. These include the schools, the medical follow-ups and other areas needed. Accepting to be a foster parent is a challenge. CASA is needed to guide all parties involved to work together in the best interest of the families. It is a team effort and we all have to contribute to make the process successful.” – MV
Week 12
”Thinking back on my own childhood, I have a deep appreciation of having had two loving parents that provided a nurturing environment for our family, i.e. a “normal” childhood. CASA provides me the opportunity to support and advocate for a child who, through no fault of his/her own, has been taken from their family. As a CASA I am able to make a difference by helping the child thrive and return to a permanent home setting as soon as possible.” – DC
Week 13
“I wanted to make a real difference in the life of just one child (which then turned into three children!). I want to help ensure that every kid--even those growing up with roadblocks and disadvantages I might never otherwise imagine--enjoys a childhood full of opportunities, support, exploration, security, laughter, and happiness.” – RL
Week 14
"My sister and I were often at our maternal grandmother's house. It was our second home. At age 10 until I attended college, I was raised by my grandmother. My Mom had many personal problems and could no longer care for my younger sister and I. If not for my grandmother stepping in, my sister and I would have definitely gone into foster care. As I got older, I often thought about the possibility of us being raised by strangers and my sister and I being separated. I had gone to school with children who were rumored to be in foster children and I often thought about what that was like for them. What did they call their foster parents? Mom? Dad? What about the other children in the house? Did foster children think of the children in that house as their siblings? It was a lot for a young mind to ponder.
Living with my Mom, I didn't have a voice. When things were bad in my home, I just wanted to be HEARD.I didn't know what that word was then, but it was an advocate. I needed someone to advocate for my sister and I. My grandmother was the first person to fully investigate our living situation, listen to us and help my sister and I get out of an unsuitable environment. Our grandmother became our advocate.
After being sworn-in, and being super nervous and anxious, I kept the voice of my advocate supervisor in my head on repeat telling me, "You can do this." I cherish the bond I have with "my" four children and am proud to be their CASA. I think of them as my "secret" family. I was paired with children, RP's and family members whom a natural level of comfort existed and more importantly, a level of trust. I will always cherish their level of trust in me.
All those years ago, my grandmother was setting the foundation for me to become an advocate for other children who also needed a voice and another "pair of eyes and ears." I just didn't realize it.” – NS