Established in 1992 by Judge Patrick Riley, CASA El Dorado
has been providing support, empowerment and a voice for
abused, neglected at-risk community youth and families for
over 30 years. The heart of their program is the Court
Appointed
Special Advocate (CASA), a specially trained and supervised
community volunteer, appointed by a Juvenile Court judge.
CASA advocates make a difference in the lives of children by
researching and monitoring cases involving children in foster
care
and the Juvenile Justice system. The advocates build caring
and
consistent relationships with their “CASA kids” by spending
time
with them, gathering information about their life so they may
report
back to the judge. By elevating the child’s voice in court, the
judge
may then make a more informed decision as to what services
and
support are in the best interest of the child. These decisions
can have
life-altering ramifications.
In El Dorado County, approximately 1 out of every 145
children
are in foster care. These children often come from
socioeconomic
disadvantaged families, where substance abuse, domestic
violence
and homelessness are typically involved. The abuse,
abandonment
or neglect that led to a child being removed from his or her
parents
has a traumatic effect, and the removal itself compounds this.
CASA
El Dorado is proud to serve as defenders of hope for each of
these
children, providing CASAs for nearly 200 children a year.
“Our advocates are our mission in action, and with so many youth
in
crisis, CASAs are needed now more than ever,” says CASA El Dorado
Executive Director Amy Pooley. “We have hundreds of amazing,
selfless advocates making positive impacts in the lives of
our
community’s most vulnerable children, but we always need more.”
To join this dynamic and dedicated group of volunteers, you
must
be at least 21 years of age, successfully complete the CASA
training
program, pass an extensive background check, and have a heart
to
serve. To find out more about CASA El Dorado and learn more
about
becoming an advocate, visit CASAElDorado.org
