Bonnie Lynch, a board member for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Christian County spoke about the organization’s mission and their need for volunteers at Thursday’s Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club meeting.
CASA is national association that serves to support and provide a voice for children going through the court system who may have experienced abuse or neglect and do not have a permanent home. The Christian County chapter of the organization started its operations in 2018 and the organization itself launched in 1977.
As a board member, Lynch says she is responsible for ensuring that the organization’s volunteers and children have what they need. Lynch says there are funds available for the children if they want to play sports or join a club.
Lynch says CASA is currently working with 28 children, but over 300 children in the county could use the organization’s services. With more volunteers, Lynch says CASA would be able to help more children and access to more funding.
Lynch was joined by Kiwanian and CASA advocate, Martha Steil who shared what volunteering as an advocate looks like and why decided to work with the organization. Steil says CASA advocates do not act in the place of agents from the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS). CASA advocates are appointed by judges as independent voices on behalf of the child’s needs without bias and focus on the facts.
Steil shared that advocates have to work with the child’s therapist and teachers to file reports about the child’s wellbeing. Steil says she volunteers as a CASA advocate with hope of being able to help a child attain a brighter future.
More information about CASA’s volunteer opportunities can be found at cckycasa.org.