The George G. and Alva Hudson Smith Foundation recently made a generous donation of $3,800 to CASA of Hill County, an organization that provides children in foster care with a CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer to advocate for their best interests.
The Smith Foundation’s donation will support CASA of Hill County’s volunteer advocate recruitment efforts as they continue to advocate for children and families across Hill County.
“We are so thankful for the support from the Smith Foundation,” said Hill County CASA Executive Director Sarah Gardner. “It’s because of the continued generosity of our community and supporters like the Smith Foundation that CASA of Hill County can do the work we do advocating for children in foster care and their families.”
The Smith Foundation’s purpose is to enrich the lives of citizens of Hill County. Their financial support of CASA of Hill County makes it possible for the program to serve 100 percent of children in foster care from our county.
CASA was able to purchase new recruiting materials, including brochures, flyers, stickers, birthday postcards, yard signs and other informational materials. These items will be used to recruit qualified candidates who are willing and able to stand up and speak for the Hill County children in foster care.
CASA volunteers are members of the community who are specially trained and appointed by judges to advocate for a child or sibling group while they are in the foster care system. They advocate for the child in court, school and other settings. They get to know everyone involved in the child’s life, including their parents, foster parents, teachers, doctors, family members and others.
CASA volunteers advocate first and foremost for children to be reunified with their parents whenever safe and possible. When reunification is not an option, they may advocate for the child to live with another relative or family friend. They can also advocate for the child to be placed in an adoptive home.
In all cases, CASA volunteers are steadfast, consistent presences for the children they serve, making sure the children are safe and have the resources and connections they need to grow and thrive.
“We are always in need of donations to support our work, as well as more CASA volunteers to serve children and families in our community,” said Gardner, “There is no other volunteer experience like being a CASA volunteer, and I encourage anyone interested to find out more about the work we do and how you can become a part of it.”
For more information on becoming a CASA volunteer and other ways to get involved, visit http://www.BecomeACASA.org or casaofhillcountytexas.org.
The Lakelander 