October 5th, 2011 
Photo Credit: aacasa.org
Every day, hundreds of thousands of children across the United States wake up not knowing what the day will bring. Will they be coming back to their home after school, or will they have to move again? Will today be the day adoption papers finally go through? There is little sense of security and no sense of permanency. As of September 2010, there were 408,425 children in the U.S. foster care system, of which the average stay in a foster home is 21 months, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CASA’s mission is to be the voice of those children.
Foster children can spend years in the system rotating through social workers, lawyers, and other personnel involved in their cases. CASAs, or court-appointed special advocates, act as that sense of permanency in a foster child’s life. They are a consistent, caring presence in the life of a child who might not otherwise have that stability.
Photo Credit: aacasa.org
It is a major commitment to become a CASA, as it involves regularly visiting with the children, attending court hearings, meeting with teachers and caseworkers, preparing written reports for court hearings, and other as-needed tasks. The main role and responsibility is to be the voice of the child and advocate that they are given the best opportunities within their situation. To express interest in volunteering, you can fill out the volunteer form online.
There are other ways to make a difference with CASA. Fundraising events take place to raise money so that the organization can support their staff, provide resources and reach out to as many children as possible. On Saturday, November 5th, they will be holding a gala to celebrate their 14th anniversary of providing service to abused and neglected children with An Evening in CASAblanca. The event will include dining, dancing, and live and silent auctions.
According to aacasa.org, last year, more than 70,000 CASA volunteers served more than 237,000 abused and neglected children through almost 1,000 program offices. CASA volunteers have helped more than two million abused children since the first program was established.
If you are in the Baltimore area and want to reach out and find out more about volunteering, you can look here at the Baltimore CASA website.
To find out more about volunteering for Annapolis CASA, click here.
WHEN: Saturday, November 5, 2011 from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.
WHERE:
Loews Annapolis Hotel
126 West Street
Annapolis, Maryland, 21401
Phone: 410-263-7777
TICKETS: $150
DRESS: Formal
