Victoria Strayer, one of the co-founders of Voices for CASA Children, recently reported on the CASA program in The Daily Independent. Check out the article online or download it as a pdf.
Tag: VOICES In The News
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My CASA Journey, First Moments: Hope Bags
A CASA’s journey begins with the first visit with the child. A “child” who might be a three-month-old baby girl or a 17-year-old male teen. To help create an icebreaker, CASA volunteers provide a “hope bag” consisting of a handmade quilt, an age-appropriate toy and a book selected by the CASA. These first moments set the stage for building the connection and trust between the CASA and child.
As one CASA shared with VOICES: “My kiddo loved her bag! We colored in her coloring book, her foster mom has read her stories from her book, and the quilt is on her bed!!”
Another CASA said their teen was touched by his hope bag: “Just wanted to let you know that we gave the hope bag to our kiddo this past Sunday and the “Western” quilt went over really well. Also, he loved the water bottle and thought it was pretty!”
These amazing quilts and crocheted blankets are handmade by a wonderful local organization AZ Blankets 4 Kids and several local crocheting groups.
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CASA Volunteer Goes Above and Beyond with Connecting with her CASA Kid
As social distancing has caused CASA volunteers to be creative with how they connect with their CASA youth, one volunteer has gone beyond virtual meetings to connect with her 12-year-old.
CASA volunteer, Stephanie Webster, has been encouraging her CASA youth to work on her reading and writing skills during this time. She originally sent her 12-year-old four addressed and stamped envelopes, encouraging her to read a chapter of her book and send Stephanie a written synopsis.
To learn more, watch the full FOX10 segment here. -
Volunteers Needed to Help Advocate for Foster Youth
As one of the most vulnerable populations, foster youth need stability and someone to advocate on their behalf.
The warm summer months offer an opportunity for interested individuals to learn more about the role of a CASA volunteer and what it takes to be an advocate for foster youth in the system. To understand more about the CASA volunteer role, individuals can attend an informational session to discover the positive, life-long impact a volunteer can have in a child’s life.
To learn more, read the full Arizona Health & Living piece here. -
100+ Women Who Care Donates $11,150 to Scottsdale-Based Nonprofit
100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun donated $11,150 to the Scottsdale-based Voices for CASA Children.
With the funds donated from the philanthropic organization, Voices for CASA Children is able to recruit and train more CASA volunteers to advocate for even more foster youth navigating the system in Maricopa County.
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143 Arizona charities awarded $1.8M in Season for Sharing grants
The 2019-20 Season for Sharing campaign raised $1.8 million for 143 nonprofit agencies across Arizona.
From this Season for Sharing campaign $7,500 was raised for Voices for CASA Children. This money will further help with Voices for CASA Children’s mission to continue to recruit and train even more CASA volunteers to advocate for more foster youth in Maricopa County.
To learn more, read the full Arizona Republic piece here. -
A Night at the Museum for Voices for CASA Children
Arians Family Foundation to Host A Night at the Museum to Support Voices for CASA Children.
The Arians Family Foundation will host “A Night at the Museum” on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chandler Museum. All proceeds from the event will benefit the foundation which supports Voices for CASA Children, a nonprofit organization that provides CASA volunteers (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for children navigating the foster care system.
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Volunteers help foster teens aging out of system
CASA volunteer, Stephanie Webster, shares her expertise on how CASA volunteers can assist foster teens aging out of the system.
Stephanie Webster, a CASA volunteer with more than five years of experience, shares her story of working with a foster teen who aged out of the system. In Stephanie’s Your Turn column for the Arizona Republic, she explains the time-consuming process she had to undergo in order to get her CASA kid back into the system.
She highlights the guidance that CASA volunteers can have in these foster teens’ lives, as well as the importance to begin the process of keeping them in the system long before they near the age of emancipation. By being proactive, CASA volunteers can help to ensure their foster teens receive beneficial services and programs to set them up for success as soon as they reach adulthood.
To learn more, pick up your copy of the Feb. 5 Arizona Republic today. -
Voices for CASA Children on FOX10
Christine Slomski, Voices for CASA Children Marketing & Fund Development Manager, chatted with FOX10 about the role of a CASA volunteer, why they’re important and how individuals can help.
Slomski highlighted the guidance and stability a CASA volunteer can provide in a foster child’s life. For those who are unable to volunteer but are still interested in getting involved, she also discussed other ways individuals can give back to these children in need.
To learn more, watch the full FOX10 segment here.
