CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Contra Costa County ‘s mission is to provide programs to support abused and neglected children in foster care and to help every child find a permanent home and complete their education.
CASA does this by recruiting and training volunteers to advocate in the best interests of children in foster care. Advocates not only work with the child, but they also interact with the child’s social worker, attorney, educators, foster parents/caregivers, and other service providers to ensure that judges have everything they need to make the best decisions for each child. But the work doesn’t stop there. CASA also provides tutoring, reproductive health services, help for youth in the foster care and juvenile system, and a greatly needed therapy program.
CASA and its partner, A Home Within, provides much needed mental health services for young people who have all been impacted by trauma. In California, it can take up to a year for youth to get mental health services – that is far too long.
Starting new programs requires funding, but thanks to the visionary nonprofit, Impact 100 East Bay, CASA and AHW received funding to make this program a reality. Over 100 youth have been served since the beginning. We are grateful to Impact 100 and their support.
Impact100 was created as an empowering model designed to help women to see themselves as philanthropists and to support transformational grant-making within their local communities, with a minimum grant of $100,000. The model works with members each donating $1,000 annually. These donations are pooled and are subsequently awarded to qualifying nonprofit organizations in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
For CASA, AHW, and our young people in foster care, Impact 100s grant was a game changer…and actually a life changer for so many young people. Impact 100 continues to partner with CASA throughout the project, giving support and ensuring that the program is successful.
On October 21, 2023, CASA of CCC will have its annual Evening of Promise event at Boundary Oak Golf Course. This year CASA will be presenting its Light of Hope Award to Impact 100 for their amazing support and commitment to our young people in foster care.
Steps to becoming a CASA volunteer:
- Sign up for an Online Informational Session
- Submit an application and reference inquiry providing three references.
- After your application and references are received, you will interview with us.
- Now, you’ll get your background check completed.
- Next you’ll start your Volunteer Initial Training
- Finally, as a CASA Advocate, you’ll pick a child who will benefit from your skills and experience!!!
To start your volunteer journey, contact Sue Casey, Training Coordinator, at 925-256-7284 x5 or go to https://cccocasa.org/menus/become-a-volunteer.html
For more information about CASA, go to https://www.cccocasa.org/ For more information about Impact100 East Bay, go to https://impact100eastbay.org/.
By Denise Coyne, Resident since 1999 and Colleen Miller, CASA Development Director