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Happy New Year!
Dear CASA Friends,
This newsletter reflects the extraordinary work, commitment and leadership by CASA Volunteers, staff and supporters. Our vision is to create a world where every child who has experienced abuse or neglect is given the opportunity to thrive in a safe and loving home.
Last year, CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties supported over 220 volunteers who were screened, trained and appointed by a judge of the court to serve more than 500 abused or neglected children. A business case study conducted by Patricia Silverstein, President and Chief Economist of Development Research Partners, concluded that the advocacy and support of CASA volunteers has the impact of reducing lifetime social costs and increasing lifetime earnings of the children served. This not only improves the lives of the children, it also has a positive impact on our community and the business environment.
We are honored to do this meaningful work alongside you every day and to reach for the common goal of serving every child who needs the compassion and commitment of a CASA volunteer. Thank you for your tireless commitment-from volunteerism to funding our work-and all you do in support of building a brighter future for our community's abused and neglected children.
Kevin Kildow Lindsay Lierman
Board Chair Executive Director
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Proud Partnership with the City of Westminster
CASA is honored to recognize the continued support and partnership of
the City of
Westminster.
Support from Westminster comes from a variety of sources, illustrating the commitment of the City's elected officials,
community leaders, and citizens to improve the lives of abused and neglected children. For the past eight years, CASA has received funds from the City's Human Services Board through their annual grant process. Since 2007, the Westminster Legacy Foundation, a community foundation whose mission is "to support and enhance programs and projects that benefit the Westminster community and its citizens" has also supported CASA through its annual grant process. The City has supported CASA's many events through sponsorship and attendance by City leaders. In addition, CASA has been the beneficiary of the Annual Roast presented by the Westminster 7:10 Rotary Club Foundation for the past two years.
These varied sources of revenue and community engagement are much appreciated, and we are very excited to highlight the latest show of
support from the City of Westminster. With the support of Mayor Herb Atchison and the City Council, City Manager Don Tripp and CASA Executive Director Lindsay Lierman have signed a Letter of Understanding that not
only formalizes the partnership between CASA and Westmin
ster, it also provides for additional funding support and assistance with outreach and recruitment of new CASA volunteers! Besides helping to open doors to Westminster businesses, the City has committed to providing one new CASA volunteer each year and is giving employees paid leave to attend training, court appearances, and other time commitments required of a CASA volunteer advocate. READ MORE
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Judge Delgado pictured with Christina Norberg, City of Westminster Employee and CASA Volunteer Advocate
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For more information, please contact Lindsay Lierman, Executive Director at 303.835.5535 or
[email protected]
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October Advocate of the Month
Joyce O'Donnell
Joyce O'Donnell is a committed volunteer advocate who has been with the CASA program of the 17th Judicial district since 2013. She has diligently attended to three cases in that time period. Her latest case has been ongoing since 2015 and Joyce has been there every step of the way. Her most recent case involves two boys whose parents had significantly abused them. The boys' mother would use Meth and then tie the boys to their beds while she left the home. The boys' father was simply absent to the point where the boys know him only by a nickname rather than as 'dad'.
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Kick Off the New Year Breakfast
Volunteer Appreciation & Inspiration
On Saturday, January 6th, over 90 CASA Volunteer Advocates, Supporters, and Staff came together to celebrate the beginning of a new year at our Kick Off the New Year Breakfast.
Over the course of the morning, guests heard from a former CASA Youth-Jewel Airiana, Keynote Speaker - Debra Fine, as well as a panel of professionals that included District Court Judge Katherine Delgado, GAL Jennifer Conn, and former CASA Youth, Jewel Airiana. All reinforced the importance of the role of a CASA and the need for future growth in order to provide a CASA Volunteer Advocate for every child in need. The event wrapped up with a few words from Program Director, Vickie Ricord and Board Member Vice Chair Bob Grant about the inspiration from former CASA Youth, Jewel and forward movement of the CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties program.
Special thank you to the Denver Marriott Westminster for donating the space for the event, Bluepoint Bakery for providing incredible baked goods for all in attendance, and The Egg & I for catering a delicious breakfast. Thank you for making this event possible!
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November Advocate of the Month
Katherine Sauer
Katie Sauer is originally from North Dakota but as she says, "you'll have to listen very close to hear any trace of the accent." She has lived in Colorado since 2001 when she came here as a graduate student at CU. When Katie was on sabbatical leave, she saw a flyer in a coffee shop for volunteers for CASA and felt she was able to commit the time to become a CASA volunteer advocate. She was sworn in October 2016.
Right after Katie was sworn in, she accepted a case in Broomfield with a young teen who was somewhat in limbo. Previous to her removal, she was staying with her father who was found to have sexually molested her. She was removed from the home and spent over a year in several foster homes. At that time, her mother, who lives in another state, was not able to provide an adequate and safe home for her so she could not move to live with her.
READ MORE
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Dine Out for CASA
The Melting Pot in Louisville
Join us at The Melting Pot in Louisville for a tasty fondue meal. The Melting Pot will feature a $35 per person dinner special, of which $5 from each meal will be donated directly to CASA. This dine-out is scheduled for Tuesday, January 30th - Thursday, February 1st. Call to schedule you reservation now at 303.666.7777.
For more information about our events & campaigns, please contact Anne Kerlin at
[email protected] or 303.835.5540.
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December Advocate of the Month
Emily Davis
E
mily Davis has been a CASA with Adams and Broomfield counties since February 2016. In that short period of time she has made a huge difference in the lives of the children on her case.
Emily has gone above and beyond the requirements expected of a CASA volunteer advocate.
Prior to retiring, she worked with children with special needs. She applies this experience to her current case, which involves children with unique mental, physical, and educational needs. Not only does Emily possess great talent and knowledge in the needs of the children, but she is also extremely passionate in her advocate duties. She has attended school with the children. When they were in placed in separate homes, Emily made every effort to be present during the children's sibling visits. She also stays in contact with the children's therapist to keep tabs on their progress.
READ MORE
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Cookie Campaign/CO Gives Day/End of Year
CASA's Cookies Count and our End of Year Giving campaign is officially wrapped up, and we are so grateful for everyone who made it such a success!
This year was the 5th annual campaign and it was an incredible success raising over $62,000!!!
Thank you to our Cookies Count Sponsors - Bluepoint Bakery, & Team Packaging, Inc! We'd like to send a special thank you to Rob Lederman and everyone at Bluepoint Bakery who produced and donated more than 9,000 cookies to make Cookies Count possible!
For more information on our events & campaigns, please contact Anne Kerlin, Events & Communications Coordinator at 303.835.5540 or
[email protected].
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October 2017 Swearing In Ceremony
On Tuesday, October 3
rd, 2017, the Honorable Chief Judge Patrick Murphy
of the state's 17
th
Judicial District swore in nine community volunteers as CASA Volunteer Advocates for abused and neglected children. Others in attendance included Judge Amy Bockman, Judge Michael Goodbee,
Magistrate Jacque Russell, Judge Mark Warner, and CASA Board Member Bob Grant,
as well as members of the CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties' staff.
The new advocates honored during the October 3rd ceremony are: Evajean Boyd of Thornton, Lauren Chitwood of Westminster, Becca Giffin of Aurora, Michelle Keller of Brighton, Casidy Ludwig of Westminster, Sylvia Lydick of Arvada, Jennifer Mackender of Broomfield, Katie Schmatz of Denver and Howard Yeoman of Westminster.
Family and friends gathered in the courtroom of the Adams County Justice Center to watch the volunteers take an oath promising to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children.
READ MORE
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Great Ways to Invest in CASA
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Workplace Giving or
Payroll Deductions
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Community Shares is celebrating thirty years of giving! With the help of Community Shares, workplace giving is easier than ever with automatic payroll deduction.
Choose CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties (5140) for your Community Shares workplace designation and you can help provide a caring CASA Volunteer Advocate for an abused or neglected child.
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King Soopers Neighborhood Reward Program
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Help raise money for CASA by shopping for groceries! We will provide you with a reloadable King Soopers card that you will then transfer money onto in order to use at checkout when shopping at King Soopers. 5% of the total purchase will be donated to CASA.
To get a designated CASA King Soopers card, please contact us at 303.835.5530. |
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Shop with Amazon Smile
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Sign up with Amazon Smile for all your Amazon shopping needs! The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of purchase price from all eligible purchases to CASA!
Simply visit smile.amazon.com to get started, sign in with your existing Amazon account, and then search for "CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties" as the charitable organization you wish to support. |
Vehicles for Charity
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Help raise money by donating a car to Vehicles for Charity! Register your unwanted vehicle with Vehicles for Charity and identify CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties as the organization to donate towards. VFC will then tow and auction the vehicle with all proceeds coming back to CASA!
For more information, visit the Vehicles for Charity website, HERE. |
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Upcoming Events & Happenings
We work hard to raise a large portion of our budget through special events and other happenings. We also take every opportunity to spread the word about the work we do and our need for more caring, committed folks to join our efforts. We greatly appreciate your help with these two goals.
January - March 2018
January CASA Volunteer Advocate Training Class 1.20.18
CASA Volunteer Advocate Swearing-In 2.13.18
March CASA Volunteer Advocate Training Class 3.13.18
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Save the Date!
Please mark your calendars now to
make sure you don't miss out on the
fun! Stay tuned for more details on
the following events.
For more information, please contact Anne Kerlin, Events & Campaigns Coordinator at 303.835.5540
or
[email protected].
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Carly Wooldridge, Outreach & Recruitment Manager
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CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties envisions a bright future for every child, and together we can make it a reality! We aspire to serve an additional 600 local children each year who desperately need a loving and committed CASA Volunteer Advocate by their side.
Our most effective way to reach more community members and potential volunteer advocates is through YOU, our greatest support. Are there people you know that envision a bright future for every child, and seek to gain incredible experience by becoming a CASA Volunteer Advocate? Do you have organizations, faith groups, or home owners associations you feel would benefit from a presentation about CASA in the community? If so, please contact me to discuss the details
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CASA Continuing Education
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Evening Series,
February 27th
Please join us on Wednesday, February 27th, for a Continuing Education, Evening Series with a presentation from
Project Safeguard. Project Safeguard serves clients that share a child in common with their abuse partner and receive attorney representation at their Permanent Protection Order hearing. CASA Volunteer Advocates will learn more about the organization and how it affects the families of the children we serve. For more information,
contact
Becca Giffin, Training Coordinator at [email protected].
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"Stress Can Affect A Child in a Major Way"
By: Lindsey Tanner
"A quiet, unsmiling little girl with big brown eyes crawls inside a carpeted cubicle, hugs a stuffed teddy bear tight, and turns her head away from the noisy classroom.
The safe spaces, quiet times and breathing exercises for her and the other preschoolers at the Verner Center for Early Learning are designed to help kids cope with intense stress so they can learn. But experts hope there's an even bigger benefit - protecting young bodies and brains from stress so persistent that it becomes toxic.
It's no secret that growing up in tough circumstances can be hard on kids and lead to behavior and learning problems. But researchers are discovering something different. Many believe that ongoing stress during early childhood - from grinding poverty, neglect, parents' substance abuse and other adversity - can smolder beneath the skin, harming kids' brains and other body systems." READ MORE
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CASA 101 Informational Session
Do you know someone who is looking to get involved with the community? And is looking for some kind of volunteer opportunity? They should become a CASA Volunteer Advocate! The first step is learning what it means to be a CASA Volunteer Advocate, so encourage them to come to our next CASA 101 Informational Session on
Thursday, February 15th.
We will be discussing the fundamentals of CASA, including our mission as an organization, the role a CASA Volunteer Advocate will play in court and the child's life, the time commitment required, as well as many other topics. Join us on the evening of February 15th from 6:00 - 7:15pm, at Zoe's Coffee at 11225 Decatur Street in Westminster.
For more information, click HERE or contact Carly Wooldridge, Outreach & Recruitment Manager, with any questions at [email protected].
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National CASA & Colorado CASA
From its beginning in 1977 when Seattle Judge David Soukup called on
community volunteers to advocate for the children involved in abuse
and neglect court cases, the CASA program has grown into a national network of programs. CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties is one of
nearly 1,000 local programs across the country that are members of the National CASA Association. National CASA sets program standards, provides technical assistance, and promotes CASA volunteer advocacy in support of local programs.
Click HERE to learn more about National CASA.
There are 16 CASA programs in Colorado, serving 18 of the 22 Judicial Districts. Colorado CASA is the supporting agency for all 16 programs, coordinating and implementing statewide goals in four key areas: data collection and reporting, legislation, marketing, and fundraising.
Click HERE to learn more about Colorado CASA.
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Window Covering Safety Council Partnership
CASA has teamed up with the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to urge parents and caregivers to check their window coverings. Exposed or dangling cords can pose a strangulation hazard to infants and young children, and it's recommended to retrofit or replace them with today's safer products.
The partnership stems from a deep-rooted commitment to ensure that ALL children are safe in their homes. Since CASA Volunteer Advocates visit the homes and foster homes of children they work with, the partnership is a perfect fit. All CASA Volunteer Advocates are trained to share window covering safety information with the parents, foster parents, and caregivers they come into contact with.
To learn more about window-cord safety, or to order free retrofit kits, go to the Window Covering Safety Council's website
HERE.
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