The support for the work of Court Appointed Special Advocates in our community is overwhelming. Many people are not only familiar with the name “CASA,” but also the work that these CASAs do — advocating for abused and neglected children in the foster care system. This is due in part to the organization’s constant efforts to recruit new volunteers, but also largely thanks to the visibility of our current Advocates in informing their family, friends, and professional circles about their experiences being the voice for a child.
We receive many calls and emails from people living in Yellowstone County and even outside of it, asking about what they can do to help. They have heard the stories on the news and read articles in the Billings Gazette about the rising number of children in foster care and the need for more CASA Advocates to represent these kids in their journey through the system. Many of these calls and emails are the first step for an ordinary individual in the community to becoming a sort of superhero, eventually receiving training and being appointed by a judge to speak up for a child or group of siblings in foster care.
However, for many of the people who want to help, this type of volunteer role just doesn’t fit their lives. The reason could be any number of circumstances, such as their work schedule, family commitments, or the possibility of an upcoming move. This leads to the next question for many of them — Is there anything else I can do to help?
Yes, there is.
CASA of Yellowstone County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we rely on the generosity of donors in the community who support our mission. While our funding sources are diverse, the reality is that without the support of people making donations to CASA, there will be no CASA.
If you believe in the importance of what we do, but can’t be an Advocate yourself, please consider supporting us by making a donation to CASA using the red button below.
Image courtesy of sciencenews.org
