SPEAK UP FOR A CHILD IN NEED

SPEAK UP FOR A CHILD IN NEED

Pulaski County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is seeking adults 21 years and older, to stand up for abused and neglected children. CASA’s mission is to advocate for the best interest of children in the court, in an effort to move them from unfit homes to safe, permanent ones.

A CASA volunteer, or advocate, is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to report factual information regarding the abused or neglected child and family. This information helps the court to make a sound decision about the child’s future. The advocate serves as the voice in court for the child by visiting with them, talking to foster parents, birth parents, service providers and anyone else involved in the case. Once in court, the advocate is asked to testify, and make recommendations for the best interest of the child based on his or her gathered knowledge regarding the case.

Being a CASA volunteer does not require any special education or background, simply the desire to help abused and neglected children find safe, permanent homes. In order to become an advocate, a background check and a 35 hour training program must be passed.

If interested in becoming a CASA, please call Daryl Capps at 501.340.6741, or Kristi McGibbony at 501.340.6732.

The next training schedule is as follows:

July 21-23, 9-12pm or 6-9pm
July 28-30, 9-12pm or 6-9pm
August 4-6, 9-12pm or 6-9pm

SEEKING NEW VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT COORDINATOR

PULASKI COUNTY CASA SEEKS NEW VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT COORDINATOR

Pulaski County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is seeking a talented and dedicated individual to become the new Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator, an AmeriCorps VISTA position. The Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator will assist the program by recruiting volunteers, raising awareness about child abuse and neglect in the community and fundraising for the organization.

Serving as a VISTA member for CASA, this individual will be dedicated to the program’s mission of advocating for the best interest of abused and neglected children in court, in an effort to move those children to safe, permanent homes. In exchange for a year of full-time services, the individual will receive a modest living allowance along with health insurance, training, travel and relocation expenses. Once the year of service is complete, the VISTA can decide between a $1,200 stipend or an education award of $4,725 for loans or further schooling.

For 40 years, VISTA has been helping bring communities and individuals out of poverty. Today, nearly 7,000 VISTA members serve in hundreds of nonprofit organizations and public agencies throughout the country—working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create business, increase housing opportunities and bridge the digital divide.

Applicants must be at least 21 years old, have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and be able to pass a background check.

For further information contact Marquita Rogers at (501) 340-6778 or email at casa@co.pulaski.ar.us.

Fun is on the way!!!!

The Pulaski County CASA office is in the process of preparing for our 4^th Annual CASA Cup Pedal Car Races. The event is held in downtown Little Rock at the River Market – East Pavilion on Saturday, April 4^th from 10 am to 2 pm. This is a family fun event that the kiddos will love. Come out and enjoy live music, games, fun and races. It only cost $1 to race or $5 for unlimited racing fun.

Tell your kids to listen to Radio Disney in the afternoons for their chance to win a free racing pass.

For those of you who don't have any children that you could bring to this event, you can still participate. We are looking for volunteer to help us make this event run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering contact Marquita Rogers at 501-340-6778 or at casa@co.pulaski.ar.us

Thanks for tuning in and keep checking in for more updates.

Also checkout our other sites

www.twitter.com/pulaskicasa

www.zazzle.com/pulaskicountycasa*

www.pulaskicountycasa.org

www.pulaskicountycasa.ecrater.com/

Facebook profile: Child Advocates.

Welcome Blog Boys and Girls to the Pulaski County CASA, Official BLOG!!!

Greetings from the Pulaski County, 6^th Judicial Court CASA office. I am Marquita Rogers the Community Outreach Coordinator and now your favorite blogger. For those of you who don't know about of want to know more, I will give you my 45 second elevator spill about how awesome our program is.

CASA is a nonprofit organization that trains volunteers from our community to be Court Appointed Special Advocates for children who have been removed from their families because of suspected abuse or neglect. When DHS removes a child from their family, it starts a 12 month legal case. Do to know fault of their own these children and thrown into the system and have a new home, a case worker, attorney and has to sit in a court room full of people making decisions on how their life should continue. What a CASA does is step in and seek the best interest for the child and make sure there voice is heard through this legal process. CASA's are an extra set of eyes and ears for judge, someone without any motives beside the best interest of the child, giving them all the facts.

Now that you know what CASA is let me tell you a little about our program. Our program serves children in Pulaski and Perry Counties only. We are the old CASA program in the state, established in 19… There are currently around 1,100 children in foster care, just in Pulaski County alone; we have 67 volunteers serving only 146 of those children.

Those are some harsh facts that we are working really hard to change. Our goal is that every child that wants a CASA can have one. We want to serve 100% of the children instead of our current 13%. We need the communities help to reach that goal. We need volunteers to step up and become advocates and we need funding. CASA regulations state that for every 30 volunteers we have to have a full time Advocate Supervisor on staff. So the more we grow, the more funds we need to keep our program rolling right along.

So, I bet you are thinking "Wow, this is such a great program, Marquita tell me how I can help!" I would love to tell you that! We are always accepting donations and support. We are currently seeking volunteers that have a heart for children in crisis to be advocates, in-kind donations, discounts on services to help us maintain our program, donations of clothing items and toys that will be given to the children in our program and sponsorships for our fundraising events.

We believe that children shouldn't be defined by the worst thing that ever happens to them, that children should have hope. By supporting CASA it allows hope to change the life of these children and gives them a chance to re-write their stories.

Continue to periodically check in with me and find out what we are up too.

Remember "A happy childhood last forever"