CASA of Coos and Curry Counties | |
|
Family Finder Specialist Needed!
Help! We are seeking our newest member of the CASA team. We are needing someone to help locate family members for children in foster care. This is a great opportunity to work with our ODHS partners and help secure lifelong connections for children.
Using software, social media, and phone you will reach out to potential relatives of children in care to help establish connections. This was my (Greg) first gig with CASA and it was a great job! We had some wonderful successes for children and their families.
Full Time $18/hour
More information and application:
Family Finder at Oregon Coast Community Action (trakstar.com)
https://orcca.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0xfex/
Feel free to reach out if you have questions: 541-435-7103
| |
|
February is Black History Month
Black children are over-represented in the child welfare system because of historical, systematic, and institutional racism in the United States. Even though awareness is increasing, and great work is starting to change systems and policy, there still remains racist systems and practices that continue to oppress our citizens, neighbors, friends, and families. For every step forward, we get pushed back not only from those remaining systems and practices, but also by people who don't understand the importance of fighting oppression or don't see it as a problem in their world.
"The idea for a Black History Month was first conceived by the historian Carter G. Woodson and members of his Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History). Together they organized a Negro History Week, beginning in February 1926. They selected the month of February for this celebration because it was close to the birthdays of U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln, who had been responsible for the Emancipation Proclamation, and the African American orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. "
As you can see by the quote above, the work for establishing a Black History Month began almost 100 years ago! Yet, we are still fighting for change: abolishment of racist systems and practices and adoption of equitable reconciliation. Imagine how long it takes to for a population of people to gain equitable standing in a country if it takes more than 100 years for their oppression to be fully recognized. This helps us to understand why black children are still over-represented in the child welfare system. We need to continue to do our work, wherever we sit in social services and community, to support improvement for every oppressed individual.
|  | |
Seeking the Next Class of CASA Volunteers!
We have 10 people so far signed up for our pre-service training that starts early February! It's not too late to get on board!
Do you know someone who would be a good fit for being a CASA volunteer?
The number one best and most effective recruitment of new CASA volunteers are current and past CASA volunteers! We need your help finding the next class of CASAs who will step up to advocate for children in foster care. Please spread the word!
How you can help:
1. Talk to people you know.
2. Talk to people you don’t know.
3. Invite us to your groups, organizations, and clubs to talk about CASA.
4. Share our needs on social media and email lists.
5. Share CASA staff contact information.
6. Share this newsletter!
7. Share your recruitment ideas with our CASA staff.
Here's a link to our online CASA Application:
https://or-coos.evintosolutions.com/VolunteerApplication
| |
|
Coming Up!
Training: How to Empower Yourself as an Advocate for the Child - we're going to try this again as our trainer got called up to testify at a hearing and we had to reschedule. Stay tuned and we'll reach out via email to CASAs when this is scheduled. Our goal is to make this happen in February.
Training: Safe Zones - Jasmine is working on scheduling this with our partners at Out of the Rain Counseling. The training should be toward the end of February. Again, we'll reach out when it is scheduled.
Event -Getting Excited About: Our 7-Devils Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse and your CASA team join together for our 3rd annual Child Abuse Awareness Ride on April 22nd! We'd love to have CASAs and community partners ride along with us! We'll be doing a pinwheel planting and a barbecue as well. Stay tuned!
Event - Family Fun Day at John Topits Park. April 29th, we'll be there once again with our balloon animal booth! We'll be needing some help and yes, we train how to make balloon animals.
| |
Our Funding Partner of the Month: | |
|
Thank you to the Oregon CASA Network in their work to bring us increased state and pass-through funding! The OCN's mission is to lead Oregon’s CASA programs to provide a strong voice for every abused and neglected child statewide. Some of you may not know about the funding work our state organization does for CASA programs in Oregon. The OCN's collaborative work with legislators has helped the network secure increased state funding and helped secure some special 2-year funding to replace what programs lost from the pulling back of VOCA funds. The OCN is also our hub for our Ford Family Foundation funds.
When we're advocating for kids in care in Coos and Curry Counties, our OCN team (Board, OCN staff, and local programs) are working hard to make sure we have the state support and funding to improve our work and serve more kids!
Thank you to our staff at the OCN - Jenna App (OCN Director), Aubrey Henshaw (Program Specialist), and Angelic Zojonc (Administrative Assistant)!
Oregon CASA Network - Oregon CASA Network
https://oregoncasanetwork.org/
| |
|
Arlo the CASA Dog
Happy Holidays from Arlo!
Arlo says Happy February! He's been hanging out at hotels, having breakfast in bed, and taking walks on the icy mountain. He can't wait to don his new Superhero CASA cape and help spread the word about CASA!
| |
|
We want to send out a big THANK YOU to the team at Sailor Selkies and especially Mira and Loren for their artistic talent and doing all the tattoos for their CASA fundraiser event!
They raised $2300 for our CASA program!
They've been doing these flash events for a while, raising funds for local nonprofits.
If you're looking for a new tattoo, check them out. They have an Emily's Dragon sword in their art collection now!
125 Anderson, Coos Bay.
| |
|
|
You can become a Funding Partner for CASA!
Donate directly through the Donate link or
give us a call at 541-435-7103
|
Set up a monthly reoccurring payment for as little as $5/month!
You can also mail in your donation to our CASA office at 1848 Thomas Ave, Coos Bay , OR 97420
or our ORCCA office at 1855 Thomas Ave, Coos Bay, OR 97420
| | |
|
|
CASA Birthdays in February
Ruby Forsberg
Diane Williams
Sylvia Lydick
Christa Arndt
Happy Birthday CASAs!
| |
|
CASA Stats - January
Children CASAs are Currently Serving
Coos = 38
Curry = 15
Children on our Wait list
Coos = 61
Curry = 14
Active CASA Volunteers
Coos = 28
Curry = 8
DHS Stats - January
Kids in Care
Coos = 99
Curry = 29
Resource Homes
Coos = 63
Curry = 15
| |
|
CASA Anniversaries - February
Kym Ray - 1 Year!
Sharon Taylor - 1 Year!
Diane Williams - 9 Years!
Happy CASA Anniversary! Thank you for your time in serving children and making a difference in their lives!
| |
|
|
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
Equity change starts with conversation, but those conversations can be tough. What do you think helps move conversation toward action and solving our equity issues?
Vice News is doing a debate series on various social issues. This was one of my favorites (link below). If you'd like to share thoughts on this, please feel free to reach out - gdalton@orcca.us
Anti & Pro Feminists Debate Abortion, Trans Rights, and #Metoo | VICE Debates - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEIvWNhuL8U
| |
|
Resource Closet
The Coos Resource Closet is a collaborative effort by CASA, United Way/Every Child, and the Coos County Foster Parent Association! Our resource closet has clothing, shoes, diapers, mattress covers, cribs, and other child needs. Reach out or stop by if your families are in need. Stop by at the CASA office Mon-Friday (most weeks) 8am - 4pm. Or email or call to set up an appointment.
Our collaborative resource closet in Curry County is at the Curry Juvenile Department. Reach out to Ericka if you have a family in need.
| |
Oregon Foster Youth Connection has a page up with resources for youth during the crisis. | | |
|
NEEDS: Every Child Oregon has rolled out their "My Neighbor" program for foster providers, children in foster care, or youth impacted by foster care. This is a page where they fill out a short form describing their needs, which gets sent to their area My Neighbor hubs for addressing those needs.
| |
GIVING: Don't have needs but have want to help provide resources? Well, they've thought of that to! The link to the right will take you to a page where you can let them know what resources you can help provide.
| |
|
Oregon Child Abuse Hotline Feedback Email. Use this to let DHS know about your experience using the central hotline to call in suspected child abuse:
| | |
Disclaimer: All spelling and grammar mistakes are a normal function of this newsletter and meant to have you notice and report. -Greg | |
Oregon Coast Community Action - CASA of Coos and Curry Counties
Mailing Address: 1855 Thomas Ave, Coos Bay, OR 97420
Physical Address: 1848 Thomas Ave, Coos Bay, OR 97420
casacooscurry@orcca.us
541-435-7103
| | | | |
