Powerful moments and highlights volunteering with children as a CASA/GAL advocate
CASA Kane County is very fortunate to have volunteers who have been with us for over 20 years! CASA Kane County celebrates CASA-Versaries for our CASA/GAL Volunteers and can’t thank them enough for their time and effort put into helping the children who need it the most.
With the steady increase in cases, we must constantly recruit and train more volunteers to assure 100% of all the children in abuse and neglect cases in Kane County are supported by a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate).
Six CASA Volunteers shared inspiring insight on how they got started volunteering with CASA in a prior blog. This blog reviews powerful moments encountered as a volunteer and what they look forward to working with the children in care. Not only does volunteering with CASA make a huge impact in the children’s lives but also their own.
Tell us about a particularly powerful moment you had while volunteering for CASA Kane County?
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Cheryl
“Adoption – albeit virtual due to COVID. The love and bond with the familial foster parent was joyous!”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Janis
“CASA’s mission is to be a trusted voice for a child and to push for what the child deserves based upon their interactions with the child, birth parents, foster parents, daycare, school, medical providers, child welfare agencies. But what if the child is an infant, not yet able to communicate. Your voice has to be clear, articulate, concise, non-judgmental, caring yet persuasive, strong, controlled, informative, compassionate. All of these are powerful ways that can make a difference in the life of a child. I’ve witnessed firsthand that CASA’s voice counts, is recognized and respected by the court, by caregivers and providers. “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”― Dr. Seuss
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Dave
“My most powerful moment being a CASA was helping DCFS professionals expedite releasing a 10-yr old girl from a psychiatric hospital in-patient treatment program at the right time.”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Trista
“After 5 months of virtual visits, it was during my first in person visit, I asked the elementary aged child at the end of our time together if he felt safe in his home. The reply was, “You don’t want to know.” That statement will be with me forever. I was seen as someone safe to confide in. I believe I was used in his life to not only keep him safe, but to pursue a quality of life these children wouldn’t have had otherwise. CASA gave me the training to look beyond the appearance of safety and complete the checklist of questions to protect these children’s wellbeing.”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Christina
“I will always remember the first time I physically met the child assigned to CASA and me. Prior to the meeting, I had read all about him and what had happened to him. But physically meeting him and spending time getting to know him helped me understand his situation in a new light. He was a wonderful little boy whose family needed extra support to ensure his health and safety. His future was not solely defined by documents and court filings. His future depended on a team working towards supporting him and his family.”
What do you look forward to each year volunteering for CASA?
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Cheryl
“Although we love the CASA volunteer events and meeting other fellow CASA’s, for me it is not one event, but being part of a bigger cause and meaning for the children in our community.”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Janis
“CASA provides an active way to participate and as a lover of learning, CASA’s many educational tools provide engaging ways to gain knowledge. After the initial training, I found a constant array of educational content that met my full-time work schedule and complemented the issues faced on a case assignment. For example, there are many levels and programs within DCFS, one of which is the Child and Family Team Meeting, whose purpose is to keep communication strongest with all interested parties to ensure safety, permanency and well-being of the child. A recent video helped me stay connected so that I could best prepare myself for this important meeting.”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Dave
“Most recently, I look forward to seeing two foster kids in need be adopted soon by other family members into loving homes. As a result, I feel refreshed knowing that I assisted in achieving this positive outcome successfully and as quickly as possible.”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Trista
“I welcome closure for my children not only every year but as soon as possible. That is why I have come to appreciate Judge Karayannis and her wisdom in the court room. It has truly been a blessing to attend court and see how she presides over each child’s life with the utmost care and concern. She invited my CASA child to court and introduced herself by her first name. She asked if there were any questions or needs. That meant the world to my CASA child!”
CASA/GAL Volunteer: Christina
“Each year, I look forward to meeting the families and watching them grow, learn, and develop.”
Want More Information About Volunteering?
CASA would like to invite you to join them on mission. If you are 21 or older and have 5-15 hours a month to give a child – YOU can be a CASA!
Those interested can attend a virtual only general information meeting which are held twice a month at different times to provide flexible options.
Follow the Link to find General Information Meeting Dates and Register:
https://casakanecounty.org/volunteer-information-meetings/
Those interested can also take the first step and follow these links below.
CASA Kane County is nonprofit volunteer organization advocating for the best interest of children in abuse and neglect situations throughout Northern Illinois. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates/Guardian ad Litem) volunteers are specially trained to become the objective voice of a child for a judge.
CASA Kane County is currently seeking VOLUNTEERS! To learn more and Change a Child’s Story, please visit the organization’s website at www.casakanecounty.org or call 630-232-4484.
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
Hosted Virtually via TEAMS by CASA Kane County
Wednesday, February 15
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 2
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Unable to join us for one of the listed dates? Or, have a group you would like for us to present?
Fill out the form and our team will be in touch with you!