Every Child Deserves a Chance. It could be you.

I’m sure many of you have heard of Court Appointed Special Advocates or CASA.  These are volunteers from all walks of life who speak up for a child’s best interests in court. They are regular people with a desire to make a real difference at a critical turning point in the child’s life.

My wife and sister are CASA volunteers in Wood County and although I know nothing about their cases, I do know first-hand how critical their role as volunteers are is in this process.

The Mission of CASA for Kids of East Texas is to support abused and neglected children in Smith, Van Zandt and Wood Counties by providing court appointed trained community volunteers who advocate for loving, safe and permanent outcomes.

CASA for Kids of East Texas serves children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.  CASA recruits, trains, supports and monitors court appointed volunteers for Smith, Van Zandt and Wood Counties. 

When a child is removed from their home due to abuse and neglect, the court appoints a guardian ad litem who represents the child’s best interests.  The advocate gets to know the individual child’s needs, connects with all parties who are working for the child and reports to the court.

CASA for Kids of East Texas supported 587 abused and / or neglected children in 2015. The number of cases continues to grow at an alarming rate every year. CASA has approximately 200 volunteer advocates.

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