“Children need to know they matter,” said Katina Lett, a volunteer with Georgia CASA for over 20 years and managing counsel at the American Cancer Society. Katina was the honoree at the  annual fundraiser CASA on the Catwalk, held this spring at the Cherokee Town & Country Club.

 

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers who advocate on behalf of abused or neglected children in the foster care system. Every county in Georgia has a CASA organization. The goal of GA CASA is for every child in the foster care system to have a CASA volunteer.

 

“[Volunteers] give a voice to children who haven’t been heard -- a loud, harmonious, comforting sound,,” said Katina to a roomful of CASA supporters and volunteers at the recent fundraising luncheon. Many attendees were from Buckhead and Historic Brookhaven.

 

Over 11,000 children are in the Georgia Foster Care system, according to the state Department of Human Services. They range in age from infant to 17 years old. CASA volunteers establish a trusting relationship with their assigned foster care child, get to know the child’s history, help them set goals, assure they have access to necessary services, attend court proceedings, and advocate for the child’s safety and needs.

 

To volunteer, individuals don’t need a legal or social work background. CASA volunteers come from all different vocations and professions. They are trained and supervised to ensure a full understanding of the volunteer role prior to being assigned a case.

 

CASA began in the 1970s when a Seattle judge came up with the idea after realizing he didn’t have enough information to make a major decision about an abused three-year-old girl’s life. The judge recognized these children needed trained volunteers who could speak up on their behalf, and the first CASA program was born.  The National CASA Association was founded in 1982.

 

Georgia CASA originated in 1988. Last year, it celebrated 100% statewide coverage with a program in each of Georgia’s 159 counties.

 

 LET’S HIGHLIGHT THE INFO BELOW IN A SEPARATE BOX WITHIN THE MAIN COPY OF THIS CHARITY FEATURE

 

Non-profit: Georgia CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

 

Mission: Empowering community volunteers who advocate for abused or neglected children, and contribute to their advancement within the child welfare system.

 

Contact: Call (404) 874-2888 or (800) 251-4012 or visit the Georgia CASA website (https://www.gacasa.org/)

How You Can Help: Volunteer to be a CASA representative and work with a child in foster care; on average CASA volunteers spend six to 10 hours a month on a case. Donate (https://www.gacasa.org/donate/). Work on or attend an event, such as the recent fundraiser CASA on the Catwalk Luncheon and Fashion Show held at Cherokee Town & Country Club.