CASA for Children of DC

when i interned w/ CASA, my program managers made it clear that the work we were doing had a very reach. i volunteered as a CASA, received training, and was able to gain experience working with kids who were incarcerated. the work you do isn’t performative. you must be present and willing to learn. i now work for CASA after volunteering and the work means a lot to me and our community.

CASA DC is an advocate for court-involved youth. The staff are well informed on best practices and trauma informed care and encourage the volunteers to build a meaningful relationship with their youth. The volunteers that work with the organization are well trained and offer great mentor-like relationships with the youth they are appointed to work with, which the youth and families enjoy.

CASA DC is an organization where the employees and volunteers really care about making a difference in the lives of foster care involved youth in DC. By engaging in training sessions as a volunteer it prepares you to not only better understand the population you’re working with, but also prepares you to be able to assist in advocating for youth.

I think CASA for Children of DC is a fantastic organization. It has genuinely improved the lives of youth with a histoy of invovlevement in the justice system that live in the DMV region. Through their work connecting these youth to mentors, therapeutic support, and innovative programming, CASA DC is dedicated to lowering the number of young people involved in the juvenile justice system. Their innovative programs give young people a route to a better future. It has been truly inspiring to witness the positive changes in youth's lives. These positive changes are made with the support if CASA DC volunteers. These young people receive guidance from their carefully chosen mentors, who also act as pillars of support and a positive influence. These connections impact families and communities in addition to the individual. Volunteers from CASA DC assist their young people academically as well. The organization is not only meeting short-term needs but also building the foundation for long-term success by offering academic support to youth. The focus on holistic development, which guarantees that these youth have the resources necessary to thrive academically, is heartening. CASA DC is committed to ensuring that each youth has permanency; this is demonstrated through the work of their volunteers in This all-encompassing strategy guarantees that the beneficial outcomes continue long after the mentorship.
Encouraging justice involved youth to envision and strive for a better future is an investment in the community at large. It illustrates the organization's dedication to both stepping in and giving these youth the tools they need to direct their own lives. CASA DC is an outstanding example of a non-traditional organization that genuinely believes in the potential of every young person involved in the justice system

CASA for Children of DC has a tremendous mission in serving the youth of DC. I am proud to be a donor and board member for many years. I have seen the impact the organization has had in the lives of youth. The volunteers and caring staff are incredible.

Serving as a board member with CASA for Children of DC has given me such joy to see an organization fully embrace and act upon its mission and values in a way that directly benefits the DC metro community at large. I've witnessed a great pool of dedicated staff and volunteers who truly care about each individual youth as well as how those youth are able to thrive within their communities.

CASA for Children of DC has an impressive story to tell. Our outcomes and benchmarks prove how effective we are in improving the lives of court involved youth. We are highly committed to our mission!

The CASA team's commitment to supporting the volunteers serving youth in the DC foster care or juvenile justice system is second to none. Living in the DC region for 15 years, I've always heard about their impact, and it's been a pleasure to work with them more closely.

As a Board member, I have been impressed with CASA's devotion to its mission and its efforts to reach out and support the troubled youth of Washington, DC especially during a global pandemic and the trauma that inflicted, along with the anger these youth feel because of gentrification and displacement, in an environment flooded with guns. These have been difficult times!
CASA provides a safe harbor for those we can help. CASA has a team of volunteers who work under the supervision of professional staff, 1x1 with each youth to provide the wide array of services these youth need such as court advocacy, family reunification, educational assistance, mental health counseling, job skill training, etc.

CASA for Children of DC does amazing work to serve youth in foster care. They strive to meet the needs of their youth through not only advocacy, but also therapeutic services, cultural connections, and wraparound support from the time youth enter care to exiting. TTD is proud to support the work they do and so appreciate CASA being a part of our charity partner network.

The CASA team is extremely dedicated to its mission and works hard to provide services to youth, going above and beyond to meet them where they are. I am proud to be affiliated with this org and its impact!

CASA DC uplifts our community with their dedicated focus on supporting youth in the foster care system. With programs tailored to the youth's needs, including sexual violence and exploitation, juvenile justice system youth, immigrant youth, and youth of impacted by substance abuse in their family. They provide extensive mentorship on top of required training for each of their CASAs, to support their CASAs success in serving the youth directly.

I had the pleasure to partner with Casa in 2022 on a NMAAHC event for DC youth. It was a fantastic experience working with Natasha and Paris, from planning to execution. We were able to have wonderful engagement with the DC youth in attendance and build positive bonds.

I love being a CASA! I am currently working with the multicultural advocacy program and it has been a great experience.

I've been a CASA volunteer from November 2021 to August 2022, it's been a blessed experience. My team consisted of the most supportive people that I could ask for. Together we were able to support a youth through his senior year of high school and secure the services he needed.

CASA for Children of DC is an organization that all of us here at Hillmann Consulting are proud to support! Children are near and dear to our hearts so when the opportunity to partner with CASA DC presented itself, it was a no-brainer! We've had the best time participating in charitable giving projects for our friends at CASA DC and are thrilled to have developed a relationship with such a great group. We look forward to continuing this relationship in the future!

We were introduced to CASA through another organization and are so grateful for the opportunity to provide bikes and helmets as well as stress kits for children of DC. CASA helps us to serve our communities not just in DC but also in NJ. They are organized, friendly and doing wonderful things for children. - Geralanne Maglione of Hillmann Consulting, LLC

CASA is a great organization that truly advocates on behalf of the most vulnerable youth in our community. As a volunteer for CASA, I have received training (and continue to receive it!) to be able to best advocate for youth from a trauma-informed perspective. I am proud to spend my time helping youth in our community and doing it with an organization that does amazing work with little resources.

I’m a CASA for CASA Children of DC, and I couldn’t feel more fulfilled in this role. The trainings are in-depth, informative and have really prepared me for this role. I’m learning so much each and everyday, and the constant support I receive from my supervisor and team are the best by far! I really feel I’ve been properly trained and equipped to be a strong champion, voice and support system for the children of DC. Thank you, CASA, for everything you do! I’m glad to be a part of it!

After almost a year working with CASA I can say this is a wonderful outreach program that makes for a better and happier community. CASA provides so many fabulous resources not only to at risk children but the volunteers as well. This has been a wonderful experience - at every turn I am met with a supportive and helpful community. I know my youth has been so happy and thankful to get the opportunity to work with CASA.

CASA provides great programs for at risk youth. It is a vital program for our community. They partner with companies to help with their mission and so far, they have been successful.

I have been volunteering with CASA DC for 4 years and am so impressed with the quality and the extent of the services they provide court-involved youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems in the DMV area. I have benefitted from the excellent and rigorous training they provide volunteers, so that we can best care for and support the youths for whom we advocate. I have volunteered with many organizations that serve at-risk youth and this is by far the most responsive and impactful that I've had the pleasure of working with.

I just want to say that CASA DC is so awesome, I've had the pleasure of being a volunteer with them to share my story with many of their mentor's and mentee's, and as a Returning Citizen always looking to help and mentor,that opportunity was great.CASA DC is on the frontline helping with youth that so many have given up on and that is no small task. Thank you CASA DC for being great. Sincerely. Khalid Karim

CASA DC is such a great organization. My husband and I started volunteering with them after doing a comprehensive training program. I really love how you get to know the youth you are assigned to, and can have a direct impact on making sure their views and needs are represented in court. I appreciate being able to connect them with different community resources, and making sure they have what they need--be it clothes, tutoring, someone to walk them through how to apply for a job, etc. And most importantly, I get to be there for them with no other agenda, just whatever is in their best interests. The staff at CASA are very supportive and it has been a great organization to work with.

I completed my training as a CASA in December 2020 and was immediately paired with a youngster languishing in the court system. I found tremendous support from CASA staff to help me figure out how to get a handle on this rather complex case. I received great ideas and guidance all along the way, I really felt like the regular coaching I got strengthened what I did with and for my mentee, and the reports that I wrote for court. The special events and offerings added incredible value. I've been meaning to become a CASA for many years, and I'm really glad that I did!

CASA DC is one of the best nonprofits I've ever had the pleasure of volunteering with. They strive to make a difference in the lives of as many children as possible. Being a CASA volunteer (a court appointed student advocate) is a meaningful and fulfilling experience that I would highly recommend to anyone. The passionate leadership team is an inspiration to all. I'm proud to have been a part of the organization's growth (as a past volunteer and now board member) over the past decade+ and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

I absolutely love CASA. DC . I love everything they do and everything they stand for. I honestly just fell into this program; having such a close similar background to all of the kids in the system; it’s really crazy that I never knew about CASA DC. They are truly a blessing to any child in dc❤️

Working with CASA was a wonderful experience for me. I loved all of the program managers and case supervisors who I worked with, and they all care deeply about their jobs. My experience was so positive that it played a role in my decision to attend law school.

It was an honor to sponsor the Alexandria Drive In which benefited CASA DC in 2020. It is apparent that the donations will go towards supporting volunteers and helping the youth they serve. Excited to help them in the future!

Casa dc advocates on behalf of the youth they serve. It is apparent that they are effective in serving the community and benefiting families. They are truly making a difference.

I have had the pleasure of interning with CASA DC and have subsequently been exposed to the most passionate people and cause I've ever experienced! As a result of my time with CASA DC, I have been able to see what happens when likeminded people join forces and advocate for the most vulnerable: children in foster care. I have seen both children and families strengthened by the resources and care CASA DC provides. With the services coordinated and overseen by CASA DC, children have the opportunity to thrive and succeed in life. The staff always ensures that hope and optimism is instilled in each child along the way!

CASA dc works tirelessly for the youth they serve. I am proud to volunteer along side of other volunteers to improve the lives of youth in the DMV.

I have worked on two cases as a volunteer and the support I received from CASA DC was amazing. A great organization doing wonderful work for DC's kids.

CASA DC does great work serving youth in foster care. Their programs are specialized to address special populations like youth surviving sexual violence and exploitation, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, youth who are immigrants, and youth of substance abusing parents. Additionally, they have special services to prepare youth aging out of foster care. What I like best is the training provided to their CASAs to prepare them to serve these special populations, as well as the coaching for the CASAs. They are innovative and always seeking to improve the work they do.

I became involved with CASA because it is the top organization in DC helping the District’s at-risk kids. At all levels of the organization, everyone is committed to helping better the lives of children in need of some support and guidance. An incredible organization!

My experience as a D.C. CASA during 2017, was a success. I successfully reunified my youth from the Foster System to his biological family, with the assistance of a team consisting of a GAL, Educational Attorney, Various Therapist, etc. to allow my youth to reach his overall goals.

I volunteer with CASA because I see the impact the program has on our youth and the power a mentor can have in someone's life, particularly during such a critical stage of development. I personally benefited from trusted coaches, teachers, and adults in my childhood who provided me a solid place to land in times of crisis. For CASA youth, that connection to someone who cares and shows up, consistently, is even more important. And it's only able to happen with the hard work of CASA staff, and of course the volunteers!

I have served as a CASA DC volunteer and have been involved with the program for 4 years. The need is great, the challenges are many, but the staff step up and make great things happen for the children in their care. Highly recommend.

CASA DC is a small but mighty crew. They not only train and manage hundreds of CASA Volunteers in support of their mission but they do so with compassion and true concern for DC foster youth.

The work they've accomplished with such a small team is remarkable. I have served as a CASA Volunteer for the last 6 years and hope to see many more with this organization.

I have volunteered with CASA DC for nearly two years and it has been one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life. There are multiple ways to serve and each role is met with ample support from the staff and supervisors. The goal truly is to help and advocate for at-risk youth in DC's foster care system. I've recommended this opportunity to friends who have joined as well. They have said much of the same thing.

A unique non-profit doing important work.

I've been volunteering for CASA for over a year. The work is very rewarding. Advocating and speaking for the best interest of a child knowing that what you say to the judge plays an important role in the decision the judge will render. It ensures that you, the CASA, pay close attention to your youth and his/her whole environment. Nothing gets by you!
The role of a CASA is truly unique. You are a guide, a teacher, a counselor, a coach, a mentor, a fact finder, a true advocate. Every child going through the foster care system should really have a CASA.

I've been a CASA for just under two years now, working with the same two children. I was so impressed with the thorough training I received--I felt ready to tackle what I thought would be a big and important volunteer role. And it is big and important, but it's also SO much fun. I'm sure every CASA thinks this, but the kids I've been working with are just the best. It's been so neat to see them grow and to get to know them and advocate for their needs. The constellation of people involved in their life--teachers, social workers, GALs, foster parents, etc. can be really overwhelming, and I feel like I help to make connections between those people in their life so that they get what they need and so they're connected with one another in a more meaningful way. Through every stage of this case, I've felt so supported by my CASA Supervisor and the ongoing trainings at CASA. They really care about these children and are so great about supporting me in supporting them. Plus, did I mention how fun it is?

I have been a volunteer with CASA DC for over a year and it has been an amazing experience. The training they provide is rigorous, stimulating and extremely helpful to my work with foster youth. The CASA team and supervisors are very informed, hardworking and supportive. And the support and resources they provide court-involved youth is incredible and invaluable. After volunteering for a year, I am determined to become a lifelong volunteer with CASA DC.

I have been a volunteer with CASA for over five years and I can't imagine my life without it. Social workers, foster situations and lawyers rotate in and out of these children's lives. But I've been able to serve as a stable presence to guide and support them through a frightening situation. For me, when the case closes, I've developed such a strong relationship with the child that I continue supporting them any way I can. Having a CASA is life-changing for these children and it’s also life-changing for us. With the alarming circumstances these vulnerable children have to encounter every day, there’s at least comfort in knowing that like every CASA, I have the opportunity to ensure that they know they are not alone. That not only do they have a voice, they have someone who hears it.

My CASA experience has been phenomenal. I’ve been able to coach youth through challenging situations and reassure them that people are rooting for them. Everyone needs a support system! CASA’s are here for you!

I am so proud to volunteer with CASA for Children of DC. I am a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and have received the training and support I need from CASA DC to make a difference in the life of my foster youth. I know firsthand the impact CASA DC has on foster youth across the District, and am inspired by the team's hard work and dedication to equity and serving families.