Meet siblings Tanya* (19) and Sean* (18). She's athletic, spirited, and fiercely independent. He's artistic, reserved, and kind-hearted. Typical teens, who also happened to have spent the vast majority of their lives in foster care. In just the last 5 years, they've lived in 6 foster homes, sometimes separated from one another, and assigned to 4 different social workers; the only constant? Their CASA advocate.
Whenever they needed someone to talk to, their CASA was only a phone call away.
When Tanya and Sean expressed a desire to learn home economic skills, their CASA showed up with her sewing machine, scrap booking supplies, and ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch.
When the children needed educational support, their CASA met with caregivers, schools, teachers, and counselors to ensure they both graduated high school.
When the children wanted to participate in sports and extra-curricular activities, the CASA program was able to provide financial assistance to help cover fees so Tanya and Sean could have the same experiences as their peers.
When the children celebrated birthdays, graduations, and major accomplishments, their advocate was there to celebrate with them, and the CASA program provided cakes and gifts to commemorate these important milestones.
It truly does take a village. Because of your generosity during the 12 Days of Giving/CASA Holiday Project, San Benito Gives, and Sip, Savor & Celebrate fundraisers, the CASA program ensures these siblings, and many more foster children from San Benito County will continue to have bright futures and positive outcomes; thank you!
We are excited to share that Tanya just completed her Freshman year at a 4-year college, and Sean recently graduated high school and is now attending a trade school. *Names have been changed.
