Voice for CASA Children

Category: VOICES News

  • The Great CASA Telethon of 2018

    The Great CASA Telethon of 2018

    Contributed by Valerie Neumann, CASA Volunteer

    2018 started off with a “BANG!” for the CASA Program throughout Arizona. January was host to the CASA of Arizona Telethon—a statewide recruitment effort on January 23rd that caught the attention of thousands of viewers throughout the day and evening on AZFamily. CASA volunteers were quick to answer phones to speak to Arizona residents calling in from nearly every county throughout the state!  Two CASA volunteers share about the fun and frenzied experience in the Channel 5 Media Room!

    “I have had many people approach me in the last week who saw me on TV and want to know more. So the telethon is still paying dividends.  People from my gym and people I used to work with!! My gym friends and/or acquaintance wanted to know how I heard about CASA and why did I chose CASA.  I told them I had a former colleague who was a CASA, I had a former colleague who was a foster parent who eventually adopted his foster son and in former life (I was in federal law enforcement), I saw how having an advocate, a voice, a chance could make the difference.  I spent 26 years as a public servant and I wanted and needed to continue that service in my retired volunteer life.” ~ Suzanne Solomon

    “Out of the many phone calls, one really stood out for me. A woman called in and said she was interested in becoming a CASA.  She said she would include her husband in one of our information events as she thought he would consider being one too. The caller said they were both retired and more flexible in their time. She said she was ‘personally moved by the telethon because when she was five, she was a foster child and was adopted’.  Telling me, she sounded like she was choking on tears.  “Wow, what personal life experience she would bring as a CASA.” ~ Carolyn Blaney-Arndt

  • VOICES Opens Training Center

    VOICES Opens Training Center

    Contributed by Valerie Neumann, CASA Volunteer

    In the weeks following the start of 2018, volunteers and staff members were hard at work to open the new VOICES Training Center. An extension of the VOICES administrative offices in Old Town Scottsdale, the Training Center is home to CASA trainings, recruitment events, volunteer orientations, and everything in between! Meet Rosie Ronnow, Training and Program Coordinator at VOICES. Rosie provides a tour of the Training Center along with what’s coming up on the calendar for 2018.

    I am thrilled to introduce our new Training Center; not only to our VOICES family, but also to the broader Court Appointed Special Advocate Community.

    This community of CASA Volunteers is filled with knowledge, passion, and heart. Our vision for this training space is to support and empower CASA volunteers, and we hope that this space will allow CASA volunteers to connect with each other, and to resources in the community. The saying, “Knowledge is power” is age-old, yet it holds true for every individual who advocates for a child in state care. New research

    and information is constantly emerging, providing new information about how we can best serve and support the children we are working with. With the VOICES Training Center, our goal is to provide trainings that are relevant, current, useful and interesting to CASA volunteers, equipping them with knowledge that will allow them to be the best advocates possible for the best interest of their CASA children.

  • The VOICES Team Grows in 2018

    The VOICES Team Grows in 2018

    Expanded Programs and CASA Support

    With 2018 starting out with a big, CASA BANG!, there’s great need to expand programs and CASA support in Maricopa County. VOICES is thrilled to announce the growth of its team with the addition of dynamic staff members and one new Board member. Each individual brings talent, insight, and gusto for carrying out the VOICES mission of providing a voice for every child in Maricopa County’s foster care system. Meet the crew below!

    Amanda McNally Koeller oversees the accounting function for Voices for CASA Children.  Amanda is passionate about educating and improving the lives of children.  In her previous positions, she has worked for both the private and non-profit sectors in financial leadership roles. She has served as Treasurer on several non-profit Boards over the past ten years, as both a staff member and a volunteer.   Amanda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Communications and Marketing from Eastern Michigan University, and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.  She currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Aztec Wrestling Booster Club, Science Chair for the Aprende Parent Teacher Student Organization and Scholarship Chair for Help-Dream Organization.

    Diane Gardner joins the Voices for CASA Children team with great enthusiasm, filling the role of Child Enrichment Specialist. Diane retired from a 34-year career in technology, most recently serving as the Chief Information (Technology) Officer for the City of Mesa.  Having volunteered for a variety of non-profit organizations during her career, she is delighted to be able to focus her time on VOICES’ critical mission in support of Arizona’s children. Her family holds a healthy non-profit track record and sense of altruism as well: Diane’s husband of 35 years and her oldest daughter each serve in non-profit organizations, and her youngest daughter currently practices veterinary medicine in the Valley.  Diane loves planning traveling adventures for the family and holds the title of Chief Party Planner (CPP)! Outside of coordinating child enrichment opportunities with the community and CASA volunteers, Diane spends time with her four-year-old granddaughter and creatively “attempts” in all things crafting.  Originally raised in Wyoming, Diane and her family happily call Arizona home.

    Dylan Marks joins the Voices for CASA Children staff as a Family Finding Specialist. In his role, Dylan works in collaboration with multiple agencies to identify, locate, and engage with dependent children’s existing relatives and other supportive adults with the goal of creating new life-long connections and establishing permanency for those children. Dylan has experience working with law firms specializing in family law, and licensing agencies in the foster care system. He an active member of various grassroots organizations in his community and has a passion for advocacy and volunteerism. In his free time, Dylan enjoys reading, playing music and brewing coffee. He’s somewhat of a connoisseur of coffee.

    George Turner joined the VOICES board in 2018 after learning about the organization and meeting Board members at Statewide CASA Support Council meetings. He currently also serves as Governing Board President for Navajo County Friends of CASA and divides his time between his Pinetop and Scottsdale homes. George and his family retired to the Pinetop area after a 33-year career with Motorola Inc., which included assignments in the Phoenix area, Chicago, and Seoul, South Korea. He has always been interested in the education and welfare of children, and served on the Board for Blue Ridge Unified School District for ten years, including seven years as its President. George and his wife, Liz, have two grown daughters both living and working in the Phoenix area. George enjoys most sports, is a semi-serious golfer, an avid reader, loves cars and motorcycles, and enjoys traveling.

    Rosie Ronnow brings great energy to the Voices for CASA Children team as its Training and Program Coordinator. Rosie has a background in community development, health education and volunteer management, and received her Master’s in Public Health in 2015 in Australia. She is passionate about creating healthy communities where children can thrive, and supporting the many amazing volunteers who work with children in Maricopa County’s foster care system. Rosie is an Arizona native, yet spent four of the last six years expanding her horizons abroad, having lived in Denmark and Australia. She enjoys traveling and hiking, and spending time with her husband, David, and new baby girl, Sienna. Rosie is also the proud mother to one “fur baby”, Gunner.

     

     

  • Scottsdale-based Boutique Supports CASA Program

  • Ruby Kicks Fundraiser Helping Foster Youth Find Their Path Home

  • Voices for CASA Children Hosts 5th Annual Superhero Family Fun Run & Festival

    Voices for CASA Children Hosts 5th Annual Superhero Family Fun Run & Festival

    Local Nonprofit Partners with Arizona KIDS Consortium for Superhero Fun Run Benefiting Local Foster Children

    Voices for CASA Children invites you to fly across the finish line during its fifth annual Superhero Family Fun Run & Festival at Kiwanis Park in Tempe. Participants can enjoy the Superhero Festival, including bounce house fun, carnival games, prizes, food trucks, and more. Mingle with supervillains, make arts and crafts, and test your speed in the Kids Dash.

    This year, Voices for CASA Children is partnering with Arizona KIDS Consortium, an Arizona Commission Corporation that coordinates the recruitment of foster and adoptive homes in Maricopa County, to put on this event. All event proceeds go toward summer programs for foster youth living in Maricopa County. Additionally, representatives of the KIDS Consortium will be in attendance to answer questions about foster licensing.

    WHAT: Don your cape for Voices for CASA Children’s 5th Annual Superhero Fun Run & Festival at Kiwanis Park in Tempe. Your super amazing participation will benefit more than 10,000 local foster children.

    WHO: Superheroes of all ages

    WHERE: Kiwanis Park – 5500 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85283

    WHEN: Sunday, April 15 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

    This fun event is for families and kids of all ages and all are encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero. Event tickets are $10 for adults and free for kids.

    Tickets can be purchased online. For more information about the event, visit www.voicesforcasachildren.org/events/.

    About Voices for CASA Children

    Voices for CASA Children is dedicated to bringing a voice to every abused or neglected child in state dependency and supports expansion of the CASA program in Maricopa County. VOICES was established in 2011 and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit us at: www.voicesforcasachildren.org.  Follow us on Twitter and join us on Facebook.

    About Arizona KIDS Consortium

    KIDS Consortium is an Arizona Commission Corporation established for the purpose of coordinating the recruitment of foster and adoptive homes in Maricopa County. It is comprised of about 24 licensing agencies contracted with the Department of Child Safety and aims to collaborate as agencies and with community partners to provide quality foster and adoptive homes to improve the well-being of youth in foster care. For more information, please visit http://azkidsconsortium

  • Post Retirement, Bruce Arians Aims to Continue Supporting CASA, Children in Need

    Post Retirement, Bruce Arians Aims to Continue Supporting CASA, Children in Need

    Originally Published on Fox10News.com

    Following Bruce Arians’ decision to retire as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, the former coach could turn his attention to something else he’s very passionate about. CASAs, or “Court Appointed Special Advocates”, are a foster kid’s voice in court. The Arians FamilyFoundation, led by Bruce- his wife Christine, and son Jake, helps with bringing awareness and funding to those thinking about being a casa and to those who already are. Read more here.

  • Voices for CASA Children Awarded $50,000 “Growth Grant” to Recruit 100’s More Court Appointed Special Advocates for Local Foster Children

    Voices for CASA Children Awarded $50,000 “Growth Grant” to Recruit 100’s More Court Appointed Special Advocates for Local Foster Children

    Phoenix, Arizona – January 29, 2018

    Voices for CASA Children has been awarded a $50,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities to continue its mission of providing a voice to youth in Maricopa County’s dependent care system. The grant, alongside the continuous generosity of the Arians Family Foundation, will help to significantly increase the number of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA volunteers) who are dedicated to abused or neglected children and who advocate for their best interests.

    There are currently more than 500 CASA volunteers in Maricopa County. When compared to the over 10-thousand children in foster care in Maricopa County alone, that means less children are fortunate enough to be appointed a CASA volunteer than are needed. The goal of CASA of Maricopa County and Voices for CASA Children is to have a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for every child who needs one, and this grant will get one step closer to achieving that dream.

    “The support from Thunderbirds Charities and the Arians Family Foundation are paramount to ensuring there are more volunteer advocates to help children find permanency,” says Voices for CASA Children’s Executive Director, Robin Pearson. “Our work of addressing the needs of vulnerable children would not be made possible without their help. We are so grateful; first for the $50,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities, and secondly for the ongoing support of the Arians Family Foundation. With each of their help, we will go far this year.”

    “Voices for CASA Children has such a tremendous impact on the welfare of our children in foster care, helping them navigate the foster care system and providing the support that is critical for this vulnerable population,” said Andy Markham, President of Thunderbirds Charities. “We’re happy to assist in their efforts.”

    Voices for CASA Children, CASA of Maricopa County and the Superior Court of Maricopa County have been diligently working together to identify ways to deepen their collaboration in order to best leverage community resources in support of the CASA Program and the children they serve. VOICES Board President Victoria Strayer speaks to this collaboration and the impact on growth: “We have executed a more formal agreement between VOICES and the Court. Soon the community will hear about enhanced support for CASA volunteers, expanded training opportunities, informational sessions designed to recruit many more CASA volunteers, and innovative practices such as Family Finding—all designed to strengthen the CASA Program and, most importantly, support the children so they too can have families, connections, and permanency. 2018 will be a year of community, hope and action.”

    CASA provides front line advocacy for children in foster care, and CASA volunteers speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children whose futures are being decided during juvenile court proceedings. Voices for CASA Children is always recruiting new advocates to meet the high demand. For more information, visit www.voicesforcasachildren.org.

    For more information about CASA of Maricopa County, visit http://www.maricopacasa.org.

    About Voices for CASA Children:

    Voices for CASA Children is dedicated to bringing a voice to every abused and neglected child in state dependency and supports expansion of the CASA program in Maricopa County.  Voices was established in 2011 and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit us at: www.voicesforcasachildren.org.  Follow us on Twitter and join us on Facebook.

    About the Thunderbird/Thunderbirds Charaties:

    Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. The Thunderbirds Charities Board consists of 15 board members from varying professional backgrounds. The mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in our communities. The organization’s giving is directed toward organizations based or with a significant presence in Arizona. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 250 “life” members. For more information on the Thunderbirds or the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com. For more information on Thunderbirds Charities, visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org.

    About The Arians Family Foundation:

    The Arians Family Foundation (AFF) was created in 2013 by Bruce and Christine Arians for reasons dear to their hearts. Christine worked for years as a family-law attorney, or as she describes, a “broken-family” attorney. She began working with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) to help ensure that children who are involved in the court system, as a result of abuse or neglect by their families, receive the help they need. The Arians Family Foundation seeks to continue helping others in their life journeys. AFF embodies the vision of a better future for children to live where they feel safe and loved. For more information about the Arians Family Foundation please visit www.ariansfamilyfoundation.com or call 310-426-9900.

    For Voices for CASA Children media inquiries contact:

    Alex Stevenson
    PR Account Coordinator
    Serendipit Consulting
    www.serendipitconsulting.com
    Cell: 480.319.0097
    AStevenson@serendipitconsulting.com

    For Arians Family Foundation media inquiries contact:

    Daniel Almond
    CMPR
    Cell: 205.394.2575
    daniel@cmpr.net

  • Voices for CASA Children – Help During the Holidays ABC15

  • CASA Noticios Arizona

Thank you for your interest in becoming a CASA.

After completing this form you will be directed to the CASA volunteer application which is located on the CASA of Maricopa County website. If you have any questions please contact us at info@voicesforcasachildren.org.

Thank you! You will now be directed to the CASA application. Feel free to call us during business hours - (480) 685-4888.

Voices for CASA Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Learn More header

Thank you for your interest in becoming a CASA.

After completing this form you will be directed to the CASA volunteer application which is located on the CASA of Maricopa County website. If you have any questions please contact us at info@voicesforcasachildren.org.

Thank you! You will now be directed to the CASA application. Feel free to call us during business hours - (480) 685-4888.

Voices for CASA Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.