SB NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT: CASA

It’s inspiring to see how many children’s lives VYJ has been able to impact. The obvious part is that we see change and make a difference in each individual child’s life. But we also help improve the trajectory of not only that child’s life but that of their own children and countless other lives that he or she will have the chance to impact. 

We get a chance to speak and help and advocate for children who are abused and neglected, children who are definitely in need. I think we just want to be part of the change to help each child get to live in a better situation. These are children that the Department of Child and Family Services has removed from their home, and judges have to make decisions about a given child’s placement. As advocates, we speak with the child at least monthly and otherwise interact with everyone involved in the child’s life, whether it is foster parents, therapists, doctors, or teachers, in order to help inform judges’ decisions. As CASAs, we have been appointed by the court and have access to gain whatever insight is important in order to make our recommendations according to what we learn.

Cathy: As I have spent time with these children, I’ve felt fulfilled from the chance to be a positive and stable influence. It is rewarding to help these children realize that their feelings are important and that we are there to listen to them and help them to help their voices be heard. Spiritually, it gives us the chance to grow in our prayer life, asking for wisdom as we make our recommendations and asking for positive change for the child and their family. 

Ralph: It gives me a sense of self-worth to have a case that clearly has turned out for everyone’s good. The reality is that doesn’t happen every time, and so there also are times of frustration. Yet, even then, I know the situation quite possibly would have had some less fortunate outcome had I not been involved. Until I became involved in this work, I didn’t have a good grasp of just how many children experience circumstances that require removal from their parent’s care and how deeply stressful and painful it can be for them. I see how even when I only can help in the smallest of ways, it often has significant benefits to my child’s quality of life.

Volunteers for Youth Justice has initiated and maintains so many different programs that are so important for children who are having to grow up under difficult circumstances, and CASA is just one of those. So, it is easy to be passionate about an organization that is so intensely interested in intervening in whatever ways can possibly help those children enjoy better stability and develop into adults prepared to break any negative cycles for their own families. And specific to our work as CASAs, VYJ is so good about providing educational opportunities and a whole variety of resources. The support we receive from Kelli and the entire staff is exceptional. We feel motivated because of that and also because we see how real the need is for adults just like us to fill the void for these children. So, in the short term, we not only want to continue doing what we can, but we want to help attract even more compassionate, qualified adult volunteers to carve out time to be trained and to help. In the longer term, we know there will continue to be multiple ways, even beyond CASA, that we can benefit children facing difficult conditions, and so we expect to be making a difference for years to come.