together we will
The mission of CASA of Jefferson County is to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect in Jefferson County has a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive.
CASA of Jefferson County
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Jefferson County will provide abused, neglected or abandoned children with a highly trained volunteer to advocate for the child’s best interest before family courts in Jefferson County. Our volunteers will be recruited, screened and trained by paid staff. Our staff and volunteers will then work in conjunction with the judges, lawyers, and social workers to help ensure children receive appropriate care and support while navigating the court, child welfare, and foster care systems.
Volunteer training and
continuing education
continuing education
Public awareness
efforts
efforts
Legislative and
governmental advocacy
governmental advocacy
CASA of Jefferson County is 1/20 counties in the state of Alabama that serve abused and neglected children in their communities.
You can help Change A Child’s Story with CASA of Jefferson County.
History
In 1977 Seattle Judge David Soukup started a pilot Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to recruit and train community volunteers to speak for the best interests of children in the courtroom.
The Alabama State CASA network was formed on September 24, 1993. The first three local CASA programs were in Jefferson, Madison, and Shelby counties.
Out of that, CASA of Jefferson County was established and became a 501(c)3 on February 19, 2009, and incorporated on July 15, 2010.
Leadership
Board of Directors
President
Alex LaGanke
Community Volunteer
Treasurer
Ryan Grauel, CPA
Warren Averett
Christinia Hinton
Reach Counseling, LLC
S. Darrin Chatham
Chatham Wealth Advisors
Joi Travis
Travis Law, LLC
Vice President
Suzanne Ashe, Esq.
Community Volunteer
Secretary
Cindy Dillard
Add + Source Group (ASG)
Drake Rippy
Hall Booth Smith, P.C.
Patricia Osborne
Protective Life Insurance Company
Staff
Kelly Burke
Executive Director
A former practicing family law attorney in Maryland and a CASA volunteer for CASA of Baltimore County, Maryland, Kelly has served as a Guardian Ad Litem and an appointed pro bono attorney for juveniles. While practicing law, Kelly was active with the Women’s Law Center of Maryland, an organization that serves women by advocating for the physical safety, economic security, and autonomy of women throughout the state. Kelly served as a pro bono attorney through CHANA, Baltimore, which provides legal representation to people in the Jewish community who experience abuse.
Kelly enjoys hiking, live music and travel.
To contact Kelly, please email: kburke@casaofjeffco.org
Katy Leverett
Advocate Coordinator
kleverett@casaofjeffco.org
Quin Elmore
Advocate Coordinator
qelmore@casaofjeffco.org
Ashlei Dotson
Advocate Coordinator
adotson@casaofjeffco.org
Tanesha Reeves
Advocate Coordinator
treeves@casaofjeffco.org
CASA of Jefferson County, despite being a volunteer-driven organization, requires funding for a variety of reasons.
CASA has a paid staff to manage operations, recruit and train volunteers, provide ongoing support to volunteers, and maintain communication with the courts and community partners. We have administrative costs, such as utilities, confidential data management technology, and we are proud to offer health insurance to our hard-working staff.
CASA volunteers undergo extensive training to be effective advocates for children. This training requires resources, including training materials, staff time, and sometimes external trainers.
Ongoing staff support and supervision for volunteers is essential to ensure their well-being and effectiveness. This includes providing resources, training updates, and confidential support.
CASA staff must oversee the work of volunteers, ensuring they are meeting the needs of their assigned children. This includes case management, monitoring, and providing guidance. Regular assessments and progress reports are required to track the well-being of children and the effectiveness of advocacy efforts.
CASA raises awareness about child abuse and neglect, the importance of advocacy, and the role of CASA volunteers. Outreach efforts, such as public speaking, media campaigns, and community events, are essential to recruit volunteers and build support for the organization.
That’s a little bit about us. We think our kids are worth all the above and more. How about you? Will you consider supporting CASA on this #givingtuesday?
Every three minutes a child enters foster care. Most children in foster care will live in multiple foster homes, attend several schools with different teachers, be assigned numerous social workers who rotate through their lives, all while dealing with the trauma of
abuse, neglect or separation from their families.
For these children, a CASA volunteer can have life changing impact.
CASA recruits, trains and guides our volunteers to advocate for our most vulnerable.
Please consider a gift to CASA this #givingtuesday. Your support provides hope that abused and neglected children will be placed in safe, permanent homes.
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