Note from the President and CEO | |
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To our CASAs,
Last month I mentioned that at Voices for Children our fiscal year begins on July 1. Over the last few weeks our team has been reflecting on all you have accomplished over the last year.
Our Riverside County CASA program remains one of the fastest growing in the state, serving 586 children last year. You have made that possible. We hear often from judges how much they appreciate your commitment, insightfulness, and compassion.
At Voices for Children, we are dedicated to the continued growth of our Riverside County CASA program for many reasons, most simply because where there are children who need a CASA volunteer, we want to help. Additionally, the population of Riverside County is growing faster than anywhere else in California. We want to be certain that we can continue to increase our capacity to meet the needs of our community for years to come.
I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together this year..
With appreciation, always,
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Jessica Muñoz, Esq., MFS
President & CEO
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Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
Follow Donna and Reverent Martin as they ignite a movement of compassion in their East Texas church for 22 families and adopt 77 of the most 'difficult-to-place' youth in the foster system. This one is still in theaters!
If you have watched this movie, please let your supervisor know, and you will be credited with 2 of your 12 required hours of Continuing Education!
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Featured Case of the Month | |
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This month's featured case is 15-year-old Landon. He lives in Hemet, and his courthouse is in Murrieta.
In February 2023, Landon was living with a legal guardian - his parents are both deceased from a fentanyl overdose. Landon's guardian is now deceased as well. Landon has no one other than his foster parents. He witnessed his legal guardian deceased from substances and tried to revive him. He has services through Inland Regional Center - he has autism. Landon has a tic disorder. He is suffering from severe emotional damage with the loss of parents and now guardians. Landon needs someone for him to advocate for all of his needs.
If you are interested in learning more about this case or are considering taking another, please contact Sharon Morris.
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Congratulations to our CASA of the Month, Josh S.! Having just completed his training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and graduated from Voices for Children Advocate University, Josh took on his new role as a CASA for four brothers. CASA Josh jumped right in as a fierce advocate for each of the boys, getting to know them, learning about their distinct needs, and ensuring they maintained their sibling bonds. Over the past two years, CASA Josh's work has had a profound impact on the boys, becoming a positive male role model and ensuring they remain together no matter what.
Josh’s unwavering dedication is a powerful testament to the impact of individual advocacy. His role as a CASA for siblings underscores the crucial role that CASAs play in advocating for and supporting children through their most vulnerable moments. Click here to learn more about CASA Josh and his journey advocating for William*, Jordan*, Elijah*, and Samuel*.
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Buy a Book. Benefit VFC.
“The Child Catcher” by Andrew Bridge
In his second book, The Child Catcher, Andrew Bridge, the author of Hope’s Boy, chronicles his role in the longest-running, most bitterly fought mental health lawsuit in American history. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Bridge joined the small team of civil rights lawyers representing the children of the Eufaula Adolescent Center, a violent and secretive institution in the rural South, against the State of Alabama.
Now through August 20th, Andrew, who spent 11 years in LA County’s foster care and is a fervent supporter of CASA, is graciously donating 50% of his presale royalties to the CASA program of your choice, as well as a 20% discount. To purchase your copy to benefit VFC, click here, select the ‘Pre-Order to Support CASA’ tab, and select ‘CA – Voices for Children’ from the drop-down list. You can also add a note that you’d like to support the Riverside County program specifically.
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“Whatever the Hell You Want” by Keri Ohlrich, PhD & Kelly Guenther
A huge congratulations to our very own, CASA Keri Ohlrich, on the recent publishing of her first book! Starting August 1 through October 8, if you purchase the book and post the receipt on social media with the hashtag #WhateverTheHellYouWant, a portion of the sales will go to VFC.
In Whatever the Hell You Want: An Escape Plan to Break Out of Life's Little Boxes and Live Free from Expectations, Keri and her business partner and best friend, Kelly Guenther, bring their twenty-plus years of coaching and corporate-change expertise to help you redefine what you want in your life—outside the expectations that have been placed on you by your parents, partners, society, and even yourself. Decades of working with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies led them to create the BREAK model for real change.
For a more detailed description and to order your copy, click here.
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Focusing Philanthropy's Matching-gift Campaign
For the sixth year, VFC is partnering with Focusing Philanthropy, a renowned Southern California-based foundation, for a matching gift challenge. Through December 15, Focusing Philanthropy will give an additional $1 for every $2 VFC raises, up to $200,000! That’s a total of $300,000, enough to serve 150 children!
Gifts must be $500 or greater to qualify for the match.
Click HERE to make your secure online gift. If you prefer to send a check, please make it payable to Focusing Philanthropy, and mail it to Focusing Philanthropy at 1637 16th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Directing your gift to Focusing Philanthropy allows them to confirm that gifts meet their criteria for a match and provide appropriate documentation for the IRS. Focusing Philanthropy does not charge any administrative fees, so the entire gift benefits VFC.
Fabulous Funder
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Target Circle
The Target Circle voting results are in! We are excited to share that you and other guests at Target stores in the designated Riverside County area cast 384,479 votes to Voices for Children, awarding Target funds in the amount of $7,072.36 to our Riverside County program.
We want to express our sincere gratitude to Target and Target Circle for supporting local communities through this unique fundraising opportunity.
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DevTo Support Foundation
We are honored to receive our first grant from the DevTo Support Foundation. Based in Orange County, the DevTo Support Foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations that align with its mission to enhance the physical, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional well-being of disadvantaged youth and families in Southern California. The $10,000 we were awarded will be used to recruit, train, and support CASAs to serve transitional age youth (TAY).
Our sincere gratitude to the Foundation for investing in our mission and supporting programs that build strong families and communities; provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged and underserved youth; and foster a nurturing and caring environment.
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Exciting update! Going forward, CASAs are required attend only one Small Group each year as part of your Continuing Education requirement!
Small Group: Open Topic
We know your cases can be quite complex. Sometimes we need to just vent or celebrate our successes with others who understand the CASA journey. Join Senior Advocacy Supervisor, Melanie Thomas, to discuss anything and everything going on in your case! Come ready with questions, or be there to help out your comrades with theirs.
RSVP to MelanieT@speakupnow.org to let her know you plan to attend.
Wednesday, August 7, 2024; 9:30am-11:00am
Small Group: TAY resources
Join Advocacy Supervisor, Samantha Poley, for an in-person meeting on TAY Resources. She will have fliers and discuss a little about each resource and their role in the life of a transitional-age youth in foster care. The list so far is : The TAY Arena in Perris, Guardian Scholars, JBay’s SB307 information on college affordability and success for foster youth, MSJC First Year Experience (FYE) program, CA Family Life Center-Youth Opportunity Center, Job Corp, Cops4Kids Training Center, CTE Pathway’s in Public Schools, Murrieta Police Explorers, Riverside County Sheriff Explorers Program, Murrieta Fire & Rescue Cadet Program, etc.
RSVP to SamanthaP@speakupnow.org to let her know you plan to attend.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024; 3:00pm-4:30pm
Temecula Office: 1 Ridgegate, Suite 120 , Temecula, CA 92590
Upcoming Quarterly Book Club: Garbage Bag Suitcase
Join Angeles Lopez for a discussion about the book Garbage Bag Suitcase by Shenandoah Chefalo. Follow Shenandoah on a wholly dysfunctional journey through a childhood with neglectful, drug-and alcohol-addicted parents. After being abandoned by her mother for months at her grandmother’s retirement community, she asks to be put into foster care. Surely she would fare better at a stable home than living with her mother? It turns out it was not the storybook ending she had hoped for. Find this book in several formats on Amazon. Send your RSVP to AngelesL@speakupnow.org to let her know you plan to attend.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024; 6:00-7:30pm
· Click this Zoom link and enter the details below.
· Meeting ID: 882 8069 8694
· Passcode: 502258
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Scheduled CE Workshops
Introduction to Child Trauma
Thursday, August 8, 2024; 9:00am-10:30am
Event presented by The California Training Institute
Led by Dr. Melissa Bernstein from Rady Children’s Hospital, this webinar will cover the impact of trauma on children, youth, and families, and practical applications for applying trauma-informed principles when working with families exposed to child maltreatment. The webinar will be presented in English with Spanish interpretation. Register here!
Learn.Inspire.Flourish.Together (LIFT)
Thursday, August 28, 2024; 11:00am-12:30pm
Event presented by Voices for Children
Join Melanie Thomas and former CASA, Marissa Howard, to learn about "Learn. Inspire. Flourish. Together" (LIFT) nonprofit organization serving the Corona Norco Unified School District. Current CASA, Ashlee Cairo, is a partner in this organization as well! Marissa will discuss how LIFT supports the educational, social, and emotional development of dependent youth facing homelessness.
Please RSVP to MelanieT@speakupnow.org so she knows you are planning to attend.
Opportunities for College-Bound and Transitional-Aged Youth
Financial Aid Completion Resource
John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) has compiled a Financial Aid Completion Resource guide for California foster and homeless youth to help students and their adult supporters apply for and maintain financial aid.
2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The 2024-2025 FAFSA form is now available for those looking to attend college between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. Any student, regardless of income, who wants to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid programs should complete the FAFSA form.
Free Virtual Self-Filing Tax Guide
John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) and iFoster have partnered to create a free, virtual self-filing tax guide, providing step-by-step instructions for current and former foster youth to file taxes and claim the $1,117 Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC). The virtual guide walks youth through common tax scenarios, such as reporting financial aid and claiming dependents. Youths using the guide should be able to file their taxes in under an hour. Young adults who have already filed their taxes and missed the FYTC can file an amendment to their existing return and still claim the credit.
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What We're Reading
Each month we'll highlight a staff member's new favorite novel, movie, or podcast.
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Advocacy Supervisor, Samantha Poley, is reading “Three Little Words: A Memoir” by Ashley Rhodes-Courter.
In this memoir, Ashley recounts her next nine years of foster care in detail. Some of her foster parents are kind, though many homes are overcrowded. Ashley acts out some, but she also receives frequent blame for offenses she didn’t commit. Ashley’s most distinct memories center around the horrors of the Moss home. She and Luke, her brother, are sent to the residence, which is already overcrowded with foster kids. The cruel, deceptive Mrs. Moss rarely feeds them enough and often inflicts horrible punishments, such as making them drink hot sauce. Ashley is assigned a guardian ad litem named Mary Miller. Of the many adults she has encountered in the foster care system, Mary is the first to advocate for Ashley and offer hope. Find it on Amazon.
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Advocacy Focus
August is National Happiness Happens Month and presents a wonderful opportunity for CASAs to focus on bringing joy and positivity to the lives of their case children. CASAs can celebrate this month by engaging in activities that foster happiness and emotional well-being. This could include planning fun outings, such as picnics in the park, exploring nature, or venturing to local museums. Additionally, CASAs can organize creative activities like art projects, baking sessions, or gardening, which can be therapeutic and enjoyable. Taking time to have meaningful conversations, sharing laughter, and creating lasting memories can help strengthen the bond between CASAs and their case children, significantly impacting their overall happiness and sense of well-being. By prioritizing happiness this month, CASAs can contribute to a more positive and supportive environment for the children they advocate for.
CASA Outreach Team
Calling all CASAs who love sharing their experience of being a CASA, getting to know others, and enjoy attending a variety of events! The Outreach Team is never too full and we would love you to join us!
What is the Outreach Team? This is a unique additional volunteer opportunity for CASAs! By being a member of the Outreach Team, you get to help share your experience of being a CASA to those who may be on the fence or have never heard of the CASA Program. We have a ton of fun at booths (like at Pride, Juneteenth, Murrieta Firefighters BBQ, and more!), presentations, and following up with inquiries. No skills are required, you get to choose what you help with, and you get to decide if an event is too far!
If you would like to learn more about the CASA Outreach team, please reach out to Kathi Urmanita, CASA Recruitment and Outreach Manager at KathiU@speakupnow.org or speak with your Supervisor directly.
While July is a slow month for Outreach, we would still like to give a very special thank you to CASAs, Cynthia Avery, Jeanette Estrada, Carrie Jaramillo, and Nancy Olsen for all of their help this past month! ”
Foodie Fridays
1st Friday of the Month (through October); 5:00pm-9:00pm
MSJC Menifee Campus; 28237 La Piedra Rd Menifee, CA 92584
Admission: Free!
This monthly event includes local food vendors, shopping, train rides, live music, activities, and more!
Lakeside Night Market
2nd Friday of the Month; 5:00pm-9:00pm
The Shops at Dos Lagos; 278- Cabot Dr. Corona, CA 92883
Admission: Free!
This monthly event includes local vendors, food, and entertainment!
The Menifee Trading Post
3rd Friday of the Month; 5:00pm-9:00pm
30141 Antelope Rd Menifee, CA 92584
Admission: Free!
This monthly event includes local vendors, food, and entertainment!
Palm Springs Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday; 8:00am-1:00pm
401 S Pavilion Way Palm Springs, CA 92262
Admission: Free!
This weekly event takes place indoors and includes live music and vendors!
Movies in the Park (City of Corona)
8/5/24, 8/6/24, 8/7/24, and 8/9/24 ; 8:15pm
See website for location details
Admission: Free!
The city of Corona is showing movies in the park the first week of August on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The location/movie varies by day. Be sure to check the website for details.
Temecula Sunset Market
Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month; 5:00pm-9:00pm
41902 Main St. Temecula, CA 92590
This event features live entertainment, a gourmet food court, and many vendors!
Fostering Partnership: Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert
Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage is now a partner with Voices for Children and our CASAs! If a CASA chooses to take their youth to the museum, they will need to purchase their own ticket, show their CASA Badge, and then they will receive the youth’s ticket free of charge.
Culture in Our Community
Voices for Children is proud to launch Culture In Our Community, brought to you by Voices for Children’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Awareness, and Action (IDEAA) Council. We invite CASAs to use this online guide to find places to visit, upcoming events, local restaurants, and other resources to help connect youth in foster care with their culture or background. We encourage you to explore this resource and use it in your upcoming outings!
iFoster Back to School Resources
Click here to access iFoster's very first newsletter with resources including free laptops for college, free K-12 tutoring services, discounted school supplies, and more!
Youth Opportunity Center (YOC)
From innovation center classes to youth sports leagues to holiday programs, the YOC has it all! Check out this Riverside Events Catalog for some free and low-cost activities taking place from now through Summer 2023. This facility offers a combination of virtual and in-person classes and events to explore with your case child!
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Submit Your Mileage and Case Hours
Please submit this form by August 7 to your Advocacy Supervisor. Remember to include time spent driving to and from visits, attending meetings, and other CASA-related efforts. **If you have mileage sheets that you forgot to submit for the last fiscal year (July 2023-June 2024), you can still submit them until the deadline!
Even if you did not drive last month, please submit the form with an estimation of hours spent calling, researching, and writing. This tally helps us to quantify the advocacy investment each of you contributes to your case. Your child matters and the hours you spend on their case help to illustrate that reality.
Birthday Gift Cards
Does your case child have a birthday coming up? Voices for Children will provide a $25 gift card for you to take your kiddo shopping! Please reach out to your Advocacy Supervisor to arrange a time to pick one up from one of our offices.
Refer-a-Friend Raffle
Would you like a chance to win a $25 gift card? If so, help Voices for Children continue to grow and serve more local youth experiencing foster care in the most successful way possible - direct ask! Voices for Children has a quarterly raffle for active CASAs that refer individuals to an Information Session - each referral that comes in under your name gives you an entry to win. Invite anyone and everyone to an Information Session, and let them know to put you down as the personal referral when RSVPing at https://www.speakupnow.org/volunteer/.
Refer more than one person, and have a better chance at winning!
Upcoming VFC Office Closures
VFC staff will be in the office at a minimum of two times per week. If you would like to meet in person, please contact your Advocacy Supervisor to coordinate a date and time!
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Monday, September 2, 2024 (Labor Day)
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Friday, September 27, 2024 (Native American Day)
For after-hours case emergencies, contact our 24-hour VFC hotline at 1-858-336-0609.
Second Saturday
Every second Saturday of the month, we encourage our volunteers, staff, board members, and other supporters to showcase their VFC apparel. Join us by wearing yours on Saturday, August 10, to help spread awareness about Voices for Children.
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"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."
~Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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