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Abby Schauman began her first job as CASA supervisor of Saginaw County with the CAN Council during the pandemic. She worked remotely for months before joining the team that also covers Bay and Huron Counties.
The CAN Council consists of the Child Advocacy Center, the three-county CASA program, and a Child Abuse Prevention Education program. It soon will add a mobile family resource center. In December, Schauman will become Director of the CAN Council CASA program.
Schauman says of the program, “I’m so grateful for our volunteers. They dedicate much of their valuable time supporting their assigned children and families, and I’m honored to know them. They change the world.” Last year, the volunteers advocated for 87 children; this year, for 104.
Schauman recounts the story of one of those volunteers who stayed with his CASA child even after he aged out of the system. The child had spent 65 months in foster care with volunteer CASA Peter Rose-Barry. Rose-Barry was on the case for six years, 540 hours, and 8500 miles before being discharged when the boy turned 18. Instead of taking a break, Rose-Barry began a role as Supportive Adult and helped the young man learn to drive, get a job, and apply for college.
Schauman will soon take on another role in addition to hers with CASA at CAN Council: mother. She and husband Ryan are expecting their first child in the coming months.
Learn more about the CAN Council CASA Program here.
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