Children in foster care need someone to be their voice.
They need someone they can count on who will be caring and consistent in a system that's confusing and
constantly changing.
YOU can be that person for a child...
We see news stories every day about children taken from an abusive home or because of the tragic loss of a parent to illness,
violence or incarceration. We assume there must be a program or system that will take care of these children, make sure
they are treated with dignity, and give them a safe place to live so they can recover from their hardship and be a child again.
But there is a story behind the story that few people speak about. It is one of overburdened foster care and child welfare
systems that, though full of well-intentioned and deeply committed people, cannot begin to meet the needs of the more than
420,000 children nationwide, 19,000 children in Missouri and over 700 children in Jefferson County residing in foster care.
It is the story of a six-year-old girl who has been moved to six group homes and three schools over the past two years.
The story of a toddler separated from her brothers and sisters during the most vulnerable time her life. The story of a
child being handed all his belongings in a plastic bag at the age of 18 because he has “aged out” of the system.
It is a story that occurs over and over again in America’s foster care and child welfare system.
But these stories can have better endings because there is a group of trained volunteers appointed by judges to advocate for
these children. People who fight for abused and neglected children, to make sure their basic rights and essential needs aren't
overlooked or ignored by the system. These stories can have better endings because of people like you.
We are Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children: A volunteer-powered network of committed people—from all
walks of life—who believe society has a fundamental obligation to these children. We are people just like you who
believe that every child has the right to be treated with dignity, to be safe, and to thrive in the embrace of a loving family.
With a CASA volunteer, a child is half as likely to languish in the foster care and child welfare system, and that
much more likely to find a safe, permanent home.
“To give a child a CASA volunteer is to give them a voice. To give them a voice is to give them hope,
and to give them hope is to give them the world. I believe that with all my heart.”
—Pamela, former foster child
violence or incarceration. We assume there must be a program or system that will take care of these children, make sure
they are treated with dignity, and give them a safe place to live so they can recover from their hardship and be a child again.
But there is a story behind the story that few people speak about. It is one of overburdened foster care and child welfare
systems that, though full of well-intentioned and deeply committed people, cannot begin to meet the needs of the more than
420,000 children nationwide, 19,000 children in Missouri and over 700 children in Jefferson County residing in foster care.
It is the story of a six-year-old girl who has been moved to six group homes and three schools over the past two years.
The story of a toddler separated from her brothers and sisters during the most vulnerable time her life. The story of a
child being handed all his belongings in a plastic bag at the age of 18 because he has “aged out” of the system.
It is a story that occurs over and over again in America’s foster care and child welfare system.
But these stories can have better endings because there is a group of trained volunteers appointed by judges to advocate for
these children. People who fight for abused and neglected children, to make sure their basic rights and essential needs aren't
overlooked or ignored by the system. These stories can have better endings because of people like you.
We are Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children: A volunteer-powered network of committed people—from all
walks of life—who believe society has a fundamental obligation to these children. We are people just like you who
believe that every child has the right to be treated with dignity, to be safe, and to thrive in the embrace of a loving family.
With a CASA volunteer, a child is half as likely to languish in the foster care and child welfare system, and that
much more likely to find a safe, permanent home.
“To give a child a CASA volunteer is to give them a voice. To give them a voice is to give them hope,
and to give them hope is to give them the world. I believe that with all my heart.”
—Pamela, former foster child
CASA of Jefferson County was founded in 2011 and is a 501(c)(3) agency. All donations are tax deductible TAX ID #45-3995846. We have a proven approach; our only challenge is to scale it. Your financial contribution is a sound investment.
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