My Nonprofit Reviews

I am a social worker with the Sonoma County Family, Youth and Children Division of the Human Services Department. I have worked with many families over the years in which one or more of the children had a CASA volunteer. I have also attending many Team Decision Making Meetings in which a CASA was present as a child advocate. I have been so impressed with the kindness, generosity and professionalism of the CASA volunteers. Oftentimes the families with which we work are facing serious challenges such as poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, medical health problems, and a history of trauma for both parents and children. Sometimes children are removed from their parents' care and the parents fail to reunify with their children and the children are cared for by relatives or foster parents. In some cases they go on to be adopted. In these long term cases the CASA stays in the child's life, continues to advocate for the child, spend time with the child, and report to the child welfare court how the child is doing. The CASA volunteer is a very important member of the team of professionals who are supporting the child. I know of one CASA (years ago) that helped a 13 year old girl raise money for her 8th grade trip to Washington DC. This was a girl who had never been on a plane and may not have every travelled outside of Sonoma County. This same CASA spent time with her each week her out to eat and to fun activities that her family had not been able to provide for her. This same CASA helped the family find a beautiful home to rent in a much safer neighborhood than where they had been living. CSA of Sonoma County and the CASA volunteers are providing an amazing service to high risk children and indirectly to their families as well. I am so grateful for all the work they do!