For a Good Cause

Join the Crew to Change a Child’s Life

What Is CASA?

Over 430,000 children are removed from their homes and placed in foster homes or institutions each year. Eventually, they end up in court. Their only “crime” is that they are the victims of abuse, neglect, or both. It is up to the judge to decide their fate. Should they remain in foster care? Be reunited with their parents or another family member? Or be adopted?

childCASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a private, non-profit program that recruits, screens, trains and supervises community volunteers as they become advocates for victims of child abuse and neglect. CASA’s function is to speak up for abused and neglected children in court proceedings and with the child welfare agency, so that these children will have the opportunity to live in safe, permanent, nurturing homes.

Unlike social services employees, each advocate assists only one child at a time and the advocacy continues from the time the volunteer is assigned to the child until the case is successfully resolved. child

CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, bringing a variety of experiences to their work as advocates for abused and neglected children. While there are no special educational or professional requirements to be a volunteer, advocates must be at least 21 years of age. Volunteers are carefully screened and receive a minimum of 35 hours of training before being assigned to represent the best interests of children. Volunteers are required to commit themselves to the program for one year or until the conclusion of their first assignment to a child, which may extend beyond one year. All volunteers are under the supervision and guidance of social workers employed by CASA. For more information visit Anne Arundel County's CASA website.

Where Does The Money Go?

It costs about $3,000 for a CASA volunteer to advocate for a maltreated child who is involved in the court system. Most of this cost represents social worker salaries, volunteer recruitment and training, insurance, and basic office expenses. Last year CASA volunteers in Anne Arundel County donated almost 5,500 hours of their time for a total of almost $91,000 to benefit the most vulnerable children in our community.

How Can I Help?

Join us on the Bay on July 26th, 2008, as a guest, racer, volunteer, or corporate sponsor to help raise money for CASA. Prizes will be awarded to the teams that raise the most money. Details on how to participate are throughout this website.

Please join EYC in making this truly meaningful event successful!

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