CASA Heroes

What CASA VOLUNTEERS say…

“…they are beautiful little girls and deserve the best in life and I want to help facilitate that.”
CASA Volunteer, Erica

“The foster parents were so appreciative of the time I spent with him because we did things that they did not have time to do. I was able to enrich his life a little more…he anticipated my visits and always had a smile on his face when I arrived.”
CASA Volunteer, Donna

“The greatest rewards of this job are seeing the small accomplishments [my CASA child] was able to make and seeing her develop into a thoughtful young woman.”
CASA Volunteer, Laurie

“Sometimes I’d get emotional but then I’d become rational and say that’s the reason you volunteer, to cut through the bureaucracy.”
CASA Volunteer, Scott

“For me, as a mother, you have to be careful not to allow your natural nurturing to override your ultimate goal and purpose which is to be an objective eye for the court…”
CASA Volunteer, Angela

“He hasn’t been able to depend on many people throughout his life. I think he hopes that I will be able to help him along the way to a more stable life.”
CASA Volunteer, Sally

“This is the best volunteer work I’ve ever done and the most rewarding. I feel that I’ve had an opportunity to have a real immediate impact on these children’s lives.”
CASA Volunteer, Marilyn

“I rejoice at her small steps, try hard not to criticize when she makes some unsatisfying choices, prod her when she stalls, and praise her all the time…”
CASA Volunteer, Betty

Read Marilyn's full story…

Read Ledonia's's full story…

“Dear Department of Social Services,
      Hi my name is Andre…and I’m concerned about my discharge from … {my} Group Home. I’ve heard that Social Services (To whom this concerns) said I have to come back to Baltimore City, or to stay close to that area. And it’s annoying that First I keep getting different lawyers every month. Secondly I get different D.S.S. workers to talk to and they don’t even come down to see me. Thirdly I get so many lawyers and Social Workers that they get different information about when I’m leaving the group home.
      I have requested to be placed in Prince George’s County because Baltimore have too many children to deal with that DSS does not have any information for me about my future placement. The reason I am requesting placement in P.G. County it’s the only area I’m familiar with and I have lots of friends. And I have people that I am close to. Carl Hall, my CASA is trying to get me a family and he is working very hard to get that achieved. So I hope you take my consideration and I hope you understand.
Sincerely,
Andre

The CASA volunteer, Carl Hall, worked tirelessly to ensure that Andre’s needs were met. It was clearly Carl’s persistence and undivided attention to this child that helped accomplish the appropriate placement for him, after 3 years in the group home placement and over one year of CASA advocacy. And it was the relationship Carl had with Andre that helped Andre to know that someone out there was working for him!

In the Words of the Court

The Juvenile Court in Baltimore City looks to the CASA volunteer to help ensure that the system works in the child’s best interest and that there is someone who supports the child through the experiences of living in out-of-home placements and through attendance at court hearings.

• In the matter of a 9 year – old child whose case was heard in a contested hearing because the Baltimore City Department of Social Services had “ignored the statutory requirement to file a TPR [Termination of Parental Rights] petition” in the required timeframe, the Master wrote, “…The court wishes to thank CASA Baltimore and in particular….CASA, Phyllis…, for the continuing support offered to… [the child] throughout the years and for the very detailed reports provided to the court at each review…”
• Judge Martin Welch, former Administrative Judge for Juvenile Causes in Baltimore City states in a support letter to the National CASA Association, “…My colleagues on the Bench unanimously agree that CASAs contribute significantly to the cases on which they are appointed. They provide updated in-depth information on their children in coherent written reports, including reasonable recommendations. CASAs report on the child’s progress in school, the therapist’s opinion, his adjustment to the placement, the caretaker’s ability, and the most likely options for permanency…provide a basis on which reasonable decisions can be made and orders drafted which are more likely to address the specific best interests of a particular child.”