together we will

change-childrens-lives

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.

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Volunteer training and
continuing education

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Public awareness
efforts

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Legislative and
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

Contact CASA!

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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?
... See MoreSee Less

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.
🏠 🫶🏠
... See MoreSee Less

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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SPEAKING UP FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN

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