CASA receives $2,500 grant from Texas Bar Foundation

Special to the E-T

Pictured from left: Pam Hardcastle, Belinda Starnes, Pam Gervais, Teri Staats, Judy Walker, Deborah Hummel, Sally Griffiths, Lore Dietrich, Sandy York and Ginger Lanmon.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers serving Bosque, Eastland, Erath and Hamilton counties are appointed by the presiding judge to advocate for children removed from their homes by Child Protective Services.

While CASA’s official role in the child welfare system is to serve as the guardian ad litem/advocate in the civil courts for abused and neglected children, the truth is, CASA advocates do much more. They investigate a child’s situation in foster care, monitor their home and school life, research their physical and psychological health, and ultimately, recommend to the judge what permanent placement would be in the best interest of the child.

Working closely with other parties to their case, CASA volunteers do for the community’s children what you and I do for our own children because they believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow and thrive in a safe, loving, and permanent home.

This year, the Texas Bar Foundation awarded CASA for the Cross Timbers Area a $2,500 grant to help continue its mission.

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in grants to law-related programs.