Fall 2023

IT'S A WRAP: 2023 GEORGIA CASA CONFERENCE INSPIRING TO ALL

On Saturday, August 12th, 500 CASA volunteers, board members, staff members, special guests, and experts in child welfare from across the state gathered at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly to hear inspiring speakers, learn the latest child welfare trends and best practices, and sharpen their skills in child advocacy.

Each year, the conference displays the energy and passion that exists among those in the CASA network. The Opening Session of the conference included a young woman, Kem Ezeoke, who along with her CASA volunteer from 10 years ago, shared a message of courage and faith. This message was echoed by Reverend Natosha Reid Rice who inspired attendees at the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon to defy the odds and keep pressing onward in their advocacy. 

Click here to view the conference photo album on our Facebook page.

At the conference, nominees for the 2023 CASA Volunteer of the Year in Georgia were recognized along with the five award winners listed below.

Kimberly Force, 2023 CASA Volunteer of the Year in Georgia (with Gwinnett County CASA)

Chris Hollifield, 2023 CASA Board Member Leadership Award

(with Hall-Dawson CASA)

Christine "Chris" Arians, 2023 CASA Champion Award

(with Ocmulgee CASA)

Alcovy CASA, 2023 Innovative Program

Award of Excellence

CASA of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit,

2023 Established Program Award of Excellence

BY THE NUMBERS: FISCAL YEAR 2023 IMPACT OF THE CASA ORGANIZATION IN GEORGIA

IN MEMORIAM: THE HONORABLE JOHN E. WORCESTER,

GEORGIA CASA BOARD MEMBER

On August 17^th, Georgia CASA board member The Honorable John E. Worcester passed away. Judge Worcester was a champion for CASA advocacy since the earliest days in Georgia. In the early 90s, he led program development efforts as Georgia CASA’s Program Development Director, encouraging judges to welcome lay advocates into their courtrooms. During that time, he was enticed away to practice in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit. Appointed to the juvenile court bench in 2004, Judge Worcester was proud to oversee an exemplary court-sponsored CASA program. Just prior to his appointment to superior court by Governor Nathan Deal in 2016, Judge Worcester was selected as the National CASA/GAL Association Judge of the Year - the only Georgia judge, in Georgia CASA’s 35-year history, to receive this honor. 

As a judge, he was generous with his time and served in formal and informal roles to his peers and colleagues. He led with a servant’s heart and was instrumental in bringing accountability courts to his circuit. Judge Worcester was a judicial representative on several Georgia CASA committees before being elected to the Georgia CASA Board of Directors in 2019. As an active member, he most recently chaired the Allocations Committee.

Judge Worcester always took the time to share his experience and stories of travel, CASA history, and the people he met along the way. He was an integral part of Georgia CASA's history, helping to establish a strong foundation and investment in community leadership and development. He was proud of his involvement in the creation of a peer leadership group, known as the celebrated and influential Council of Programs.  

Georgia CASA is forever grateful for his service and support and will miss his kind heart, sense of humor, and affable demeanor. Our hearts are with his wife, Sharon; his family and friends; CASA of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit staff and volunteers; and his larger court community.

For those interested in making a memorial donation to Georgia CASA, please click here.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF IN AUGUSTA AND COLUMBUS AREAS

With the start of our new fiscal year in July, Georgia CASA has launched a volunteer recruitment campaign, Bringing Out the Best, as part of our three-year statewide growth plan. Our strategy targets seven high-need areas in the state (Augusta, Cobb County, Columbus, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Lookout Mountain, and Waycross) with the campaign aimed at recruiting 1,000 new CASA volunteers throughout Georgia over the next three years. This October, the campaign kicked off in the Augusta and Columbus areas. 

Campaign tactics include paid social media, streaming video services, targeted display ads, broadcast commercials, telethons, radio ads and sponsorships, and streaming podcast ads. Collectively, in the last three weeks, over 500,000 impressions have been garnered! 

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to work toward our goal of recruiting 1,000 new volunteers over the next three years. We are confident that, with your help, we can bring out the best in our communities and create a brighter future for all. 

THANK YOU, DONORS!

Thank you to the donors who supported Georgia CASA for Summer 2023. Because of our donors' generosity, over 8,600 children in foster care in Georgia last year were assigned a CASA volunteer to provide best-interest advocacy. Thank you, donors, for your investment in children!

Click here to view the donor listing for July 1 - September 30, 2023.

If you are not yet part of our donors, please consider giving online here! Gifts of any amount, either one-time or recurring, are greatly appreciated!

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK HELD LAUNCH PARTY IN SEPTEMBER

On the evening of September 28th, the newly formed Georgia CASA Young Professionals Network (YPN) held a launch party at Lagarde American Eatery in Chamblee. Nearly 40 attendees enjoyed networking with each other and learning more about the CASA organization and the purpose of YPN.

Earlier in 2023, Georgia CASA board members led the creation of the YPN. Designed specifically for individuals aged 21-40, this network aims to engage, empower, and cultivate a community of passionate young supporters who will champion the CASA mission for decades to come. Initial YPN interest reached 162 new people with nearly 30 inaugural members. To learn more about YPN and to join, please visit the YPN page.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Angela Tyner, Georgia CASA's Advocacy Director, for being selected by the American Bar Association's Business Law Section as one of the 2023 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyers award recipients. Angela was selected for the Outstanding In-House Counsel Award, one of five awards given. Click here to read more about the award winners.

Congratulations to Georgia CASA’s Training and Inclusion Specialist, Dr. LaFayette Young, Jr., who received his Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in September from Capella University. With his degree, he will continue to advance his work in social justice and trauma-informed responses within the child welfare and mental health fields.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS