The well being of children has always been a subject that has touched a nerve in my heart. Too often in the news, you hear stories of some neglected child harmed or sometimes even killed at the hands of his or her abusive parents or caretakers. Other times you hear stories of juvenile delinquents committing crimes. More often than not, a further look into the background of these juveniles shows a life of uncaring, uninvolved or abusive parents. If you delve further into the history of these children, you’ll often find that no one ever became involved to advocate on behalf of the minor.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of El Paso, or CASA as it is referred to, is an organization that specializes in providing a voice for abused or neglected children in the family court system. CASA of El Paso is the local chapter of The National CASA Association which was founded in 1977 by a Seattle judge to ensure that abused and neglected children placed in the foster care system did not continue to remain abused and neglected at the hands of caretakers. At CASA, they specialize in making sure that children are placed in caring permanent environments.
The man power behind this organization comes from volunteer work. These individuals sacrifice their time and resources to achieve the main goal of the organization, which is to serve the best interest of the children. Volunteers for CASA can be categorized in three areas: Court Appointed Advocate Volunteers, Friends of CASA Volunteers, and Special Events Volunteers. Court Appointed Advocate Volunteers are those volunteers who are a voice for the children in family court. Friends of CASA Volunteers are a group of good Samaritans who mainly do the fundraising for the organization. Special Events Volunteers are more short term volunteers who enlist usually for a day’s work. The people who enlist to serve as volunteers are made up of everyday citizens, from teachers and retirees, to homemakers. CASA of El Paso provides Advocacy Training Seminars for volunteers. Due to the nature of the cause and proximity to youth, all volunteers are subject to a thorough background check to ensure complete safety of all children served.
CASA of El Paso is a non-profit organization that is funded by contributions, foundations, grant money and donations from individuals as well as corporations. Since CASA is a 501 c (3) charity, donations made to the organization are tax-deductable. Donations can be mailed or phoned in. They can even be made online at the CASA of El Paso website casaofelpaso.com.
Recent advertisements and public service announcements on the radio have brought the issue back to the forefront. Child abuse and neglect is a serious issue that plagues all communities nationwide. CASA of El Paso works in conjunction with several organizations such as the 327th Juvenile Court, The Junior League of El Paso, and the National Council of Jewish Women to provide proper representation for abused and neglected children in our community. Through this avenue of community activism, more and more children are able to be placed in a secure, stable environment.
