"Why the color BLUE? I never intend to forget the battered, bruised bodies of my grandchildren. Bruises are black, then eventually blue. Therefore, blue serves as a constant reminder to me to fight for our children. Everyday, I pray that our children will be allowed to hear the sounds of a different drummer.

Bonnie Finney, Norfolk, Va., 1989, creator of BLUE movement

April is National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month and each year, I ask you to "Go BLUE " in April. For me, it is about not letting the issue of child abuse be ignored. This topic is not talked about enough. Only when headlines involve a tragedy do we hear more about it. This April, I want the color BLUE to stand for something positive - communities working together to protect our children.

Now is the time to take action. Attend one of CASA's Virtual Information Sessions. Fill out a volunteer application online. Become a volunteer. Make a donation to help more children. That is how you can Go BLUE this month.

Let's also turn social media BLUE. Update your profile picture to a BLUE ribbon or background. Share our posts about becoming a CASA volunteer. Share posts about the children who need us.

I thank our local Counties and Cities committing to the fight against child abuse by signing their own proclamations recognizing the month. See the calendar below and attend a proclamation to show you support your community's fight against child abuse.

Dedicated CASA volunteers work year-round to protect the children. It is fitting that we celebrate these great people during National Volunteer Week, April 18 - 24. And, the children we serve will be recognized during National Crime Victims' Rights Week, the same week.

This April, take a stand, speak your voice, and Go BLUE !

Chief Executive Officer

CASA of Central Texas

CASA Volunteer Kristi Perkins answers questions like, What is the training like, What is the time commitment, Do you feel like you are making a difference, and more. You can see Kristi's interview on FAQs as well as other topics in our CASA Chat series here.

contact Brandi Raschke at 512-392-3578, 830-626-2272, or by email.

Thank you to all who made this a sold-out event!

Check out pictures from the evening and tag us in yours on our Facebook Page

Angel Jones accepted her first CASA case in February 2020. She worked closely with the family and helped move the case towards resolution by having open communication with the parents and relative placement. The children were eventually adopted by the relatives. She accepted her second case in 2021. She does an amazing job advocating for the special needs of one of the kids as well as advocating for siblings to be placed together and assisting with sibling contacts.

Angel became a trained CASA volunteer right as the COVID19 pandemic began and, despite restrictions and challenges, she has done an amazing job at building rapport with the kids as well as all of the family. Angel teaches the parents about scheduling, she takes the kids to the zoo, she researches medical resources and does so much more to help the family. Her advocacy for the children has been awesome!

Outside of CASA, Angel is married to Tre Jones. They have three adult children and helped raise three other children that are also now adults. Their home was always full of kids and friends!

Angel is a full-time General Manager and Sector Delivery Leader for Wipro Limited. She and Tre also own and manage Water2Wine New Braunfels and Angel is co-creator of startup Pop Up Market which is an app helping local farmers and artisans grow and retain their in-person customer base.

Children's issues are near and dear to Angel's heart. Prior to moving to New Braunfels, she was on the boards of Lovepacs and Lil’ Warriors. Lovepacs feeds low income children during school breaks. Lil' Warriors supports families with children who have major medical challenges.

Angel is also an Amazon international bestselling co-author of Significant Women: Leaders Reveal What Matters Most.

CASA is grateful for the time she dedicates to our children!

In January and February, CASA of Central Texas underwent a Quality Assurance Review completed by Texas CASA, Inc. Through the extensive review, program compliance was assessed against critical State and National Standards, the Texas Administrative Code, and funder requirements with a checklist of monitored key standards and requirements. Almost 150 documents were submitted along with interviews, file assessments, and program performance data.

Combined, these activities culminated into a nonprofit organizational assessment of five key program areas:

During the virtual review, the Program Specialist evaluated:

99% No standards were identified as out of compliance.

92% One standard identified for correction.

100% No standards were identified as out of compliance.

And, the evaluator concluded with these words from Texas CASA:

Congratulations on your excellent scores.  

Our first in-person CE since March 2020 was held on March 28. CPS CVS Supervisor Christy Doerr highlighted the various changes and trends in the child welfare system in our region. She addressed a reduction in the number of removals, Children Without Placement, and privatization.

She also explained the details of a Family Plan of Service and how it addresses the child safety and well-being risks in the home. Lastly, she stated that her CPS workers especially value CASA’s role in educational advocacy and our family finding and engagement tools utilized in our Collaborative Family Engagement initiative. Thank you, Christy!

Walk Run Thrive is an annual signature event of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children. The event connects our nationwide network of volunteers and supporters to generate awareness for our shared mission through a fun and engaging virtual event.

Register here

Reserve October 31 on your calendar for the 2022 Corridor Title – CASA Classic!

Join us for the 6^th annual golf tournament supporting children in our community who have experienced abuse and neglect.

available for purchase here.

*Please note, if needed, an option to be invoiced is available through your online check out.

Learn more & register  https://give.classy.org/2021casaclassic

Upholds the credibility, integrity, dignity and reliability of CASA/GAL advocacy by conducting all interactions in an honest, fair, respectful and compassionate manner. The program incorporates policies and practices to avoid conflicts of interest and preserve confidentiality.

Our local CASA program: