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Dallas CASA Volunteer Supported Both Children and Their Mother
While Dallas CASA volunteer Karen worked with siblings Mary, JoJo and David Jr. for more than a year, it was the children's mother she most connected with. After battling drugs, unemployment and a toxic, violent relationship with their father, the children's mother put all her efforts into healthy reunification with her three young children. Karen never could have imagined what would happen after the case closed.
Read more on Dallas CASA's
blog
.
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Dallas CASA Volunteer Puts Education First For Children
Kathy O'Hara came to Dallas CASA after many years as an educator. She's brought her education knowledge to the advocate role, and the children Dallas CASA serves have been the beneficiaries. Kathy's CASA supervisor says she appreciates the way Kathy always makes sibling visits happen and is willing to travel out of town for visits, if needed. "I especially love having her with school-aged kids," her supervisor said. "Kathy did some individualized tutoring on a previous case which really helped that child immensely."
Visit Dallas CASA's
blog
to learn more.
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As of April 30, 2019:
- Child Protective Services reports 2,588 Dallas County children were living in protective care
- Dallas CASA was assigned to 2,229 children
- Dallas CASA was serving 86% of children in protective care, the highest percentage in the history of the agency
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Dallas CASA Classic Raises
$1.8 Million for Abused Children
AT&T, Goldman Sachs and Pioneer Natural Resources joined forces Monday, April 29 to host the Dallas CASA Classic, a charity golf tournament that raised $1.8 million for abused and neglected children served by Dallas CASA.
With the financial support of the golf tournament now in its 22nd year, Dallas CASA has expanded the agency's reach to more children in need each year. In 2018, Dallas provided child advocates for 3,332 Dallas County children. Before the tournament began 22 years ago, Dallas CASA was serving 407 children.
With the ongoing support of the event, which is the largest single-day, non-PGA sponsored golf tournament in the country, Dallas CASA plans to continue growing to serve every child in need. Since the tournament's inception in 1998, the Dallas CASA Classic has raised $19.7 million for Dallas CASA.
"Dallas CASA's ability to reach more children in Dallas each year is the direct result of the unique corporate partnership of AT&T, Goldman Sachs and Pioneer," said Kathleen LaValle, president and CEO of Dallas CASA. "We often say our advocates are a constant in the lives of the children we serve. This tournament has been a constant for Dallas CASA, providing tremendous, consistent support year after year. The tournament has given us the courage and confidence to know we can grow."
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KDC Partners with Dallas CASA's Parade of Playhouses
Dallas CASA's beloved Parade of Playhouses is bursting the real estate bubble this year, thanks to friends new and old.
KDC, a leading national real estate development and investment company with a penchant for good deeds, connected with Dallas CASA earlier this year about a new partnership that would make Parade of Playhouses more impactful.
A prior partnership with Dallas 24 Hour Club showed KDC the value of collaboration with others in the real estate community. More than 100 local companies joined KDC to provide financial support and services as KDC built a new facility for homeless men and women seeking a new life away from drugs and alcohol.
KDC wanted to bring the spirit of collaboration to a new nonprofit and saw the chance to make a difference with Dallas CASA's Parade of Playhouses. They stepped up to serve as parade grand marshal and brought many of their real estate friends along.
"Building big is what we usually do, but these little playhouses and the hopes they represent really captured our hearts and imaginations," said Steve Van Amburgh, chief executive officer of KDC. "We hope working together with Dallas CASA will mean more children can have the safe, permanent homes they deserve. Values are the heart and soul of any great organization. KDC really admires what CASA is doing to help families and kids here in our city. That is why we're jumping in to help and raise awareness and dollars for CASA. We are really excited to be a small part."
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Volunteer Appreciation Party
Thank you to Fran and Mark Berg, longtime Dallas CASA supporters, for hosting the spring volunteer appreciation party in their home. With members of Dallas CASA Children's Council on hand, Dallas CASA staff and volunteers mingled with board members who expressed thanks and appreciation for the work of each and every volunteer advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children living in protective care.
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Champion of Children Speaker Gave a Voice to Child Victims
Dallas CASA's 2019 Champion of Children Award Dinner will feature speaker Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, the Michigan circuit court judge who allowed more than 150 abuse survivors to testify in court against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
Aquilina gained national attention in 2018 for providing time and space for the victims to speak publicly prior to Nassar's sentencing. Testimony that had been scheduled for four days stretched to seven, much of it televised. Aquilina sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually molesting patients under the guise of medical treatment, but not before issuing a stinging rebuke on behalf of his victims.
"Your decision to assault was precise, calculated, manipulated, devious and despicable," she said from the bench. "And I want you to know, as much as it was my honor and privilege to hear the survivors, it is my honor and privilege to sentence you. Because, sir, you do not deserve to walk outside of a prison ever again.
I hope somewhere you have heard everybody's words and it really does resonate with you."
Dallas CASA's Champion of Children Award Dinner will be held Nov. 14 at The Omni Dallas. More details will be released soon.
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African American Volunteer Recruitment Event at Dallas CASA
Did you know that more than 40 percent of the children served are African American? Yet only 18 percent of our volunteer advocates are African American?
Invite your friends and colleagues to a volunteer recruitment event from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday June 13 at Dallas CASA. More details and RSVP here.
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Dealey Foundation Funds Summer Camp Experience for Abused Children
The Dallas-based Joe M. and Doris R. Dealey Foundation has awarded Dallas CASA funds for meaningful camp experiences for the children we serve. Inspired by their own transformative and life-affirming experiences at summer camp, members of the foundation's board wanted to support other children in need as they pursue opportunities.
The funds will allow children with special needs to attend camps dedicated to their needs and will help relative placements who might not otherwise be able to afford summer camp expenses.
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New Dallas CASA Volunteers
Dallas CASA welcomes volunteers who have completed 30 hours of training and courtroom observations and are ready to begin serving abused and neglected children in need. Click
here to read the names of the newest volunteers.
Thank you to everyone who serves abused and neglected children! Check out Dallas CASA's
Facebook page for photos from our new volunteer swearing-in ceremonies.
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Cherish the Children
My Sweet Charity
My Sweet Charity shared a blog post about the Dallas CASA Cherish the Children luncheon. Visit the blog to learn more about the luncheon hosted by Dallas CASA's Children's Council.
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September 19 2019
North Texas Giving Day
Mark your calendars now for North Texas Giving Day, coming September 19. More details will be coming soon.
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6 to 7 p.m. May 23
noon to 1 p.m. May 31
6 to 7 p.m. June 6
Please invite friends and colleagues to attend an upcoming
information session
to learn more about becoming a Dallas CASA volunteer. We have day and evening
classes
for volunteer training.
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