Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald
Contributed Article
Safford — CASA of Graham County is celebrating Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11 by honoring CASA volunteers who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and continue to serve their community by speaking up for children who have been abused or neglected.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers are everyday members of the community who are specially trained and appointed by judges to advocate for abused or neglected children in court. Their mission is to help the children move out of foster care and into a safe home environment as quickly as possible.
Veterans often walk away with the ability to work cooperatively with individuals from various backgrounds as well as a desire to stand for what is right. Those skills translate well to becoming a CASA advocate and working within the system to speak up for abused and neglected children. Nationally the CASA Program has a relationship with the American Legion which offers its support to the program.
CASA of Graham County pays tribute to all veterans who have served our country and to the CASA advocates who serve a dual role in both protecting our freedom and our children.
CASA volunteers are professionally trained to advocate for children in foster care. Advocates get to know one child or sibling group and speak to others involved in the children’s lives, including family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. Their recommendations and the information they gather help judges overseeing dependency cases make informed decisions on a child’s best interest.
Court Appointed Special Advocates don’t have to have any special degree or background. Advocates from all walks of life are desperately needed to volunteer their time so no child falls through the cracks in the foster care system. For more information, visit www.casaofgrahamcounty.org.
