Welcome to another edition of CASA Up Close Monthly. Please feel free to contact CASA for more information about anything you read. And, as always, thank you for your continued support! Use these quick links to get involved.
|
|
- Welcome New CASA Volunteers
- Join us in April
- Big Give
- Training Dates
- Continuing Education
- Your Feedback
- Help Us Pave the Way
- Information Sessions
- Birdies for Charity
- CASA Day at the Capitol
- Cars for CASA
- Events Benefiting CASA
- Community Support
|
|
|
Letter from the Executive Director
|
CASA Volunteers are proven to improve the lives of foster children while in care and to prepare them for life after they leave care. One thing that makes the CASA program and our volunteers so effective is our network of partnerships with the many agencies in our community. CASA would like to take a moment to express our gratitude for social workers during March which is
National Social Work Month
.
At CASA, we see firsthand how social workers juggle multiple cases, work in high-stress circumstances with families facing serious health and legal issues, and stand on the front lines to safeguard children by ensuring they and their families have the necessary resources to heal. Social workers sometimes see the worst of humanity, and yet they keep an optimistic view that, with support, people can change their lives.
Every day, CASA volunteers observe social workers doing very difficult jobs with skill and compassion. CASA knows they are an important piece in the network for protecting our children.
CASA of Central Texas extends our thanks and appreciation to the local social workers whom we work with every day as well as all those across the country who are working to care for our children.
Norma Castilla-Blackwell
CASA of Central Texas
Executive Director
|
|
Welcome New CASA Volunteers
|
|
Six new volunteers were sworn in during February. Each volunteer has completed 5 weeks of training, background checks, courtroom observation and is now ready to advocate for children in court.
Our 1st Caldwell County advocate to be sworn in since 2016! Congratulations and welcome,
Debbie Love, sworn in on February 28th
!
Pictured right: CASA Board President JoAnne Germer, Debbie Love, Judge Thomas Stuckey
|
|
|
Pictured (l-r) Sworn in on February 13th: CASA Executive Director Norma Blackwell, Judge Melissa McClenahan,
Jasmine Warner
of Hays County,
Raymond Kresha
of Comal County,
Danielle Craig
of Guadalupe County,
Natalie Cazares
of Hays County,
Emily Slomka
of Hays County, and Board President JoAnne Germer
.
|
|
CASAblanca
Here's Looking at You Kid!
CASA of Central Texas Annual Fundraiser
April 12, 2019
6:30 p.m.
Chandelier of Gruene
1924 Bretzke Lane
New Braunfels
You are invited to CASA's annual fundraising celebration, CASAblanca. We truly appreciate your support and hope you join us for this evening to benefit the children in our communities.
CASA will honor long-time supporters,
Barry Williams, Regional President, Prosperity Bank and
Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe
, Commissioner, Precinct 1 – Hays County.
Join us for our live and silent auctions for a chance to take home some great items!
Purchase Individual tickets
here
Thank you to our sponsors:
Marrakesh
|
|
Fez
Kate & Ken Marx
Tangier
Greater Texas Credit Union
Rabat
Felicia James, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
Texas Lehigh Cement Company
Click
here
to support our event as a sponsor
|
|
Ready to be a part of something huge? The Big Give San Antonio kicks into high gear on March 28
th
! Last year, donors gave a total of $14,872 to CASA of Central Texas through The Big Give. This generosity
provided voices of trained CASA volunteers to children and youth who had
once been abused, neglected and abandoned.
With the help of committed advocates, children no longer live as victims.
They thrive in safe, permanent and loving homes!
Big Voices for Little Children makes a huge impact! It starts with you, our donors!
|
|
Mark your calendar to give between midnight on
March 28
and midnight on March 29. To help CASA win extra prize money from our valued partner The McKenna Foundation,
the best hour to give is 2 to 4 p.m.
March 28
Midnight - Midnight
|
|
|
Upcoming Training Dates
Wednesdays - San Marcos
March 27 - April 24
4:30 - 8:30
Thursdays - New Braunfels
March 28 - April 25
1 - 5 p.m.
Saturdays - Seguin
March 30 - April 13
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
|
|
For more information on training courses, contact Layla Coleman at 512-392-3578, 830-626-2272, or by
email.
|
|
One-hour pre-training interview to occur at least one week before start of each training cycle. Mandatory 10-hour online class to be completed during the training cycle.
Application deadline prior to each cycle is two weeks before start of training.
Submit your volunteer application
here
.
|
|
Continuing Education for Advocates
|
CASA hosted our own CASA of Central Texas Volunteer,
Melissa Moore
, for a volunteer Continuing Education session on February 27th. Melissa, who works at Texas State’s Clinic for Autism Research, Evaluation and Support, shared with our advocates her expertise and experiences on using
Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy and Services
for individuals with Autism.
Melissa emphasized the importance of knowing all the different types of services that
Applied Behavior Analysis
utilizes, such as school-based services, community-based services, 1-on-1 therapy, and more. Our advocates were then supplied with resources and information on how we can better support and provide awareness of these resources for our program.
Also, a big thank you to Westover Baptist Church in San Marcos for donating the use of their Fellowship Hall to us!
|
|
Each year, CASA surveys our volunteers and key professionals that we work with – including Child Protective Services workers, attorneys and judges – to seek input on what we do well and where we can make improvements. From all the feedback, there is one big highlight - CASA Volunteers do make a difference, and we need more of them.
CASA asks Judges, Attorneys, CPS workers and volunteers to watch your email for a survey link. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to complete our survey. We listen and value your feedback.
Based on early reviews from CASA volunteers, more than
93% are very satisfied or satisfied overall with the CASA program
. One volunteer shared, "On a personal note, I value the feeling of being empowered to help children. I have learned so much about the system, the psychology of parents and children, and about myself. Great experience."
Volunteer advocates reported they would like to see additional training topics, more resources and better communication between all parties on the cases. We are pleased that our volunteers are asking for more tools to better advocate for their children.
From the judges, they, too, believe CASA volunteers make a difference. And, they also say there are not enough of us. In deciding which cases to appoint CASA, one judge answered, "Availability.
I would appoint CASA to greater than 75% of my cases if they were available to accept the appointments.
"
From other professionals – including attorneys and CPS workers – we heard positive feedback about our volunteers. From CPS caseworkers,
93% agree or strongly agree that CASA Volunteers make a difference with the children they serve.
One attorney said the main reason they prefer CASA to be assigned to cases is,
"the Attorney ad Litem is locked into advocating what the child wants on 90% of cases, which is usually contradictory to their self-interest.
CASA can look out for [the child’s] actual best interest."
From Judges, attorneys and CPS workers, we also received constructive feedback on how to better prepare CASA volunteers for their role.
We look forward to implementing ideas to improve our training and support programs. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us!
|
|
CASA of Central Texas invites you to be a part of a very special, yet limited, commemorative opportunity. The new Training & Support Center will increase CASA’s facility space and give CASA its first permanent home in Hays County after 30 years. This is an investment in the future of our children and community.
Engraved brick pavers will be installed along the entranceway of the new facility. Personalized pavers are a great way to honor a friend, volunteer, staff member or group; memorialize a loved one; encourage your favorite CASA volunteer; or show your family’s appreciation for CASA and our children, while leaving a lasting tribute in your name.
|
|
We hope each and every CASA supporter will buy in to this unique opportunity and pave the way for impact!
|
|
"Voices" Information Sessions
|
Want to learn more about the role of a CASA Volunteer?
Come to our one-hour information session and hear how our volunteers advocate for children who have been abused and neglected.
San Marcos
Wednesday, March 20th, noon
Historic County Courthouse, 1st floor conference room
New Braunfels
Wednesday, April 3rd, noon
CASA office
|
|
CASA staff and volunteers will be on hand to share their stories and answer your questions.
Please RSVP to Eloise Hudson by
email
or at 830-626-2272.
|
|
GIVE US YOUR TWO CENTS…in three easy steps. Valero will match 7% of all pledges and gifts!
1)
share your name and contact info
2)
select CASA as the charity you wish to support
3)
enter your payment information
Ta-da you’ve supported CASA! Or, if you prefer, stop by one our CASA offices to fill out a pledge form in person. CASA also has a chance to win $2,000 in the upcoming Wells Fargo Drawing on March 22! For every $500 worth of pledge forms submitted, CASA will earn one entry into the drawing.
|
|
CASA of Central Texas volunteers went to Austin on February 5th as part of the state-wide CASA Day at the Capitol.
Thank you to our four State Representatives
Kyle Biedermann,
John Cyrier, John Kuempel, Erin Zwiener, and and our two
State Senators
Donna Campbell and
Judith Zaffirini.
They or their busy staff members took time to visit with CASA volunteers about the needs of children from Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays Counties.
A special thank you to CASA of Central Texas CASA volunteers J
ohn Barthel and Colette Wollenberg who serve as our Legislative Advocacy Team co-chairs.
|
|
CASA of Central Texas Volunteers traveled to Austin and shared experiences with children in the child welfare system.
|
|
Representative Biedermann with CASA of Central Texas volunteers.
|
|
Representative
John Kuempel with CASA of Central Texas volunteers.
|
|
Cars for CASA
Have an old car taking up space in your driveway? Donate it to CASA of Central Texas! CASA partners with CARS on a vehicle donation program. We accept most cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RV's, motorcycles, off road vehicles, heavy equipment and other motorized vehicles.
Making a donation is EASY
! It's as easy as filling out an online donation form
here
or picking up a phone and speaking to a live operator at 855-500-7433 seven days a week.
|
|
Why donate your vehicle to CASA?
* Avoid the hassles of selling a car * No need to pay hefty repair bills * Free up space in your garage * 100% tax deductible *
|
|
Events Benefiting CASA
CASA of Central Texas welcomes community initiatives to help promote awareness and funding for our program. By taking on this type of project, event organizers assume the responsibility of creating a successful event without a significant level of assistance from CASA. All special events and fundraising efforts conducted to benefit CASA are run by financially responsible and reputable organizations and individuals motivated by a genuine desire to help CASA. If you are interested in hosting a third-party fundraiser to benefit CASA, please review these
guidelines
.
|
|
 |
Come to Willie’s Grill & Ice House for Spirit Night benefitting CASA of Central Texas. Mention CASA and Willie’s will donate 15% of your check!
Wednesday, March 26
4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
2966 Coldsprings Drive
New Braunels
|
|
|
|
Join us for
"Justice is Served",
a hamburger fundraiser hosted by Hays County Constable David Peterson and Brandon Peterson at 4 Moose's BBQ!
Thursday, April 4
11:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Hays County Government Center
712 S. Stagecoach Dr.
San Marcos
|
|
|
|
Thank you to every State and Federal workplace that took part in the CFC and SECC Campaigns and encouraged employees to give through payroll deductions.
A special thank you to those who selected CASA of Central Texas as the charity to support.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
