An open letter to our CASA volunteers:

Hello, advocates! As you well know, this week is our on-site quality assurance visit by Texas CASA, our statewide membership organization.

To say the least, it is a Big Deal.

For months now, we’ve been talking about this visit and the documentation we need in order to make a strong showing. I’m confident that we have what we need to score well on our case reviews.

However, as we reach the home stretch, there is something else I want you to know, and it’s this: The work you do goes so far beyond reports, measurements and score sheets.

No amount of data can measure the difference you’ve made in the lives of our children.

No score sheet can tell me the full story of how you’ve helped a child overcome bullying at school or have an underlying medical issue treated or get the therapy she needs to recover from her trauma.

No report that I run in Optima can express how hard you worked to get grandparents the assistance they needed to adopt their grandchildren or to find family members who might be a resource for your CASA child.

There is so much more to advocacy than what you see on paper, and y’all do it purely out of a desire to help children. For that, you are nothing short of heroes.

Thank you for all you’ve done for CASA of Trinity Valley and our amazing kids. We are grateful and thankful that you are part of our CASA family.

Sincerely,