by Jan Spence –
What do a framed and autographed picture of Willie Nelson, a Yeti cooler, art work, and a golf tournament have in common with Seeds of Strength? The answer is: They all help support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
On a rare sunny (not rainy!) Friday in May, Susan Nilsen, on behalf of Seeds of Strength, presented a check for the CASA 2016 grant in the amount of $24,000 to Alisa De Luna, Executive Director of CASA, and Brian King, CASA Board President. Our SoS grant will provide advocacy for 16 children who find themselves in the judicial system as a result of abuse or neglect.
Ms Nilsen’s presentation took place at a fundraising golf tournament at the Cowan Creek Pavilion. Approximately 80 golfers gathered for lunch after finishing tournament play. Following lunch, the SoS check was presented, and then Willie’s picture, along with the Yeti cooler, the art work, and many other items were auctioned off with the proceeds going to support the work of CASA.
Is all of this money and effort necessary to support CASA? Is the need really that great? Yes; to truly understand why, stay with me.
Remember when you were a kid. You know. Those golden times when you played, rode your bike, went swimming, ate popsicles and then went home to Mom and/or Dad and went to sleep in your bed with those same snuggly stuffed animals? And each morning you woke up to the same stuffed animals, got your clothes out of the same dresser, and sat at the same table for breakfast.
Now imagine there is no dresser with all of your clothes, no mountain of stuffed animals, no bike, and no Mom or Dad. There is only you and your black garbage bag holding all your worldly belongings. Just the things that you can carry. Through no fault of your own, everything in your life is gone; your home, your parents, your school, your friends …. You are now living in foster care and are dealing with the judicial system.
If you were this child, you would want a CASA volunteer to help you. You would want to have an adult who advocates for you and looks out for you as you navigate your way through visits with police and social workers, doctors, psychologists, as well as court appearances that will determine your future. You would NEED to have that one person in all of the uncertainty to serve as your lifeline.
Usually, a CASA volunteer works with one family group at a time. As of December, 2015, there were 440 children in the judicial system in Williamson County who would benefit from a relationship with a volunteer. This year’s goal is to serve 225 children, an admirable number, but not even close to the number of children who would benefit from a volunteer.
As CASA of Williamson County works to expand its volunteer base, the staff are guided by the core values of CASA: Children are the priority. Volunteers make a difference. However, adding volunteers is no easy task. CASA volunteers receive 35 hours of training over five to six weeks before they begin to work with children. Once a case has been assigned, a volunteer can expect to work with a child for approximately twelve to eighteen months, on their journey to a permanent home.
Yes, these volunteers DO make a difference. Statistics show that children without CASA volunteers spend a longer time in foster care and are less likely to get the help and services they need. In addition to serving as the communication hub among the many professionals involved in a child’s case, the volunteer listens to and observes the child, assesses the overall situation, contacts extended family members, and advocates for the child in court and in the community. As Susan Neilson stressed, as she presented the SoS donation, this is why CASA needs so much support from all of us.
Kofi Annan, a past Secretary-General of the United Nations, was quoted as saying,
“There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want, and that they grow up in peace.”
When we in Williamson County join together in many different ways to support non-profits like CASA, we are helping to uphold that sacred trust with the children who are most vulnerable.