What is the first item of business when you arrive at a new campsite? You pitch your tent. It is hard to imagine eating, drinking, bathing, etc., without doing that first. One of my parents and many of my patients would have enjoyed healthier lifestyles, if they could have first established a safe home. CASA helps homeless or disabled persons find safe, affordable housing. A seasoned, sensitive, and client-centered administrative staff requires only a small proportion of the operating budget to draw down federal, state, county and city grants and funds to develop and maintain properties that provide affordable, safe homes.
It has been my privilege to serve on the CASA board and to see firsthand what a fantastic job the CASA staff does and the enthusiasm and dedication they bring to each project and each client. This starts at the top with Executive Director, Debra King, but all of CASA's executive staff is exceedingly professional, motivated, and efficient.
In NC, CASA stands head and shoulders above any other provider of decent safe and affordable housing for people who have serious and persistent mental illness. They've been doing this work with marked success in Wake County for more than twenty years. In recent years they've expanded to Durham and Orange counties. As the parent of a son who has serious mental illness, and as President of the NAMI organization in Durham county, I have a lot of insight as to the pervasive need for stable community-based housing for this population. More than any organization I know in the state, CASA sets the standard for developing and maintaining housing for the subset of local citizens whose lives have been deeply affected by the onset of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder and many other serious mental illnesses. God bless 'em!
CASA is a well managed origanization. The Executive Director, Debra King, has the right balance of fiscal responsibility and accomplishment of mission goals. She is a great leader who's enthusiasm and team spirit creates a work environment of dedicated staff members.
CASA is a leader in providing housing for persons with disabilities. Their expertise in this area is exceptional for the partnerships they have developed; the quality of their design; and the services that provide stabiilty for persons who could easily fall through the cracks. CASA has led the way in addressing the gaps in the safety net by seeing that persons with disabilities have good, quality and affordable housing.
CASA assistance allowed me to get my life back. It allowed me to move from homelessness to being self sufficant by assisting me with housing.
CASA is the premier housing developer for persons with disabilities in Wake County, NC. Our agency operates a shelter for women who are homeless, most of whom have some form of mental illness, substance addiction or a combination of both. CASA consistently works with our case managers to make suitable housing available for our clients in need of supportive housing. The positive relationship we have had with CASA goes back for more than 15 years. Without CASA, our community would be at a loss for supportive housing.
In my limited time as a board member, I have had the pleasure of touring several of the existing housing projects as well as meet a few of the clients served by CASA. I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the projects, as well as the vision and compassion of the staff but most importantly, I was in awe of the gratitude and happiness expressed by the residents on the tour.