February 2014   

CASA Up Close
                                                         Monthly 
logo 

Welcome to another edition of CASA Up Close Monthly. Below you will find information about our supporters, upcoming events, training opportunities and more. Please feel free to contact CASA for more information about anything you read. And, as always, thank you for your continued support.

CASA of Central Texas


Mission  

CASA of Central Texas advocates for abused and neglected
children in the court system by recruiting, training and
supporting community volunteers.
 

Vision
Every child has the right to a safe, nurturing, permanent home.
Letter from the Executive Director
 









 


Dollar-for-Dollar Match
      
     I am very excited to share some news with you!  CASA of Central Texas has an opportunity through one of our long-time donors to raise an extra $100,000 between now and June 30th.  With your help, I know we can do this! 
 
     The Baptist Health Foundation has challenged CASA and our donors in Comal and Guadalupe Counties with a dollar-for-dollar matching gift for funds raised up to $50,000.  This means that for every dollar that you donate, the Foundation will match it - thus, making the impact of your contribution DOUBLE!!  If you donate $100, the total gift that CASA will receive is $200.  If you donate $500, then CASA will receive $1,000.  No gift is too small.

     Your gifts will go directly into our operations to recruit, train and support more CASA volunteers who will advocate for MORE abused and neglected children.  And, as you will read below, there were 347 Central Texas children in State foster care in 2013 who did not have the voice of a trained CASA volunteer speaking up for the children's best interests.  We have made great strides, even giant strides...but there are more abused and neglected children who need us...and we want to be there for them. 
 
     We are not limited to the level of gift you may choose to give.  If you feel that the time is right for you to make a very meaningful gift to CASA at a higher level, I would love to personally talk to you.  Please contact me at your convenience at (830) 626-2272.  
 
     Your tax-deductible contributions may be mailed to our office as follows:
 
CASA of Central Texas, Inc. 
Attn: Match Challenge 
1619 E. Common St. Suite 301 
New Braunfels, TX  78130

     If you wish to make a donation using your credit card, please call Ali Wilkinson at (830)-626-2272
 

     Thank you for all you do to make a positive difference in the lives of children. 

 

Norma Castilla-Blackwell

Volunteer Voices


Volunteer Royalty     
Melinda with her "Little One"
CASA license plate.

    Melinda Rapp became a CASA volunteer is 2010 because she loves children and wanted to do something to help protect them.

     Her first case involved a 5-year-old girl who would tell everyone in court "This is Ms. Melinda, she is helping me get a new home, and she is a princess."

     "I cried" Melinda said.

     Melinda encourages others to consider becoming a CASA volunteer.

     "It will be the most rewarding venture that somebody who loves children can take."
 
Upcoming Volunteer Trainings
training 
Make a Difference in the life of a child,
become a CASA Volunteer


Help us get the word out about these trainings!
If you know someone who would make a great
CASA volunteer, please share these training dates.


Jeannette Sheridan, CASA of Central Texas Advocate since 2003

   

New Braunfels CASA office

   

March 19th to April 16th  

Wednesdays 

4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  

 

 

   
San Marcos CASA office

 

March 20th to April 17th
Thursdays
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.


  To learn more about training sessions, contact Training Coordinator Debbie Haynes at 512-392-3578 or by email.

 

For more information on becoming a volunteer, click here.
Welcome New Volunteers

 






Ready to Take on a Case

 
Sworn in on February 11th
Kashera Muhammad (CASA of Central Texas intern) and Ron Yates of Hays County.


Sworn in on February 19th
Elizabeth Polk of Comal County,
Karen Moore of Hays County, Sharon Ingerson of Comal County, Laurel Winslow of Comal County, Patti Ebrom of Comal County, Judge McClenahan, Gloria Cheatham of Guadalupe County, Kristi Perkins of Comal County, Sandy Durke of Comal County, Barbara Kovalski of Comal County and Michael Kovalski of Comal County.
Upcoming Information Sessions
Lynette Barker, CASA of Central Texas Advocate since 2009
CASA can also
bring these information
sessions to you,
just give us a call!



Please RSVP to Ali Wilkinson
by email or at 830-626-2272. 

You are Invited
to a CASA Voices Tour
    

Learn about CASA and the work our advocates are doing in the community.  Join us on one of these upcoming dates - at a location near you - for a one-hour "virtual" tour of our mission. Open to everyone, bring your friends, family and colleagues and we will provide lunch! 

 

 

 New Braunfels-CASA office 

 Wednesday, March 5th - Noon  

   

  San Marcos-CASA office 

 Wednesday, March 12th - Noon

Lockhart-First Lockhart Bank   
111 S. Main St.
Thursday, March 13th, Noon

Schertz-GVEC Community Room 
908 Curtiss Ave.
Thursday, April 10th, Noon

Seguin-GVEC Community Room 
927 N. Hwy 46
Thursday, April 17th, noon 
 

   

Lunch provided by Fox's Pizza Den in New Braunfels
and Chick-fil-A in San Marcos.
2013 By the Numbers

 

Click here to see all of the data from 2013 by county.


A Year of Accomplishments

     In our 2013 program year, CASA of Central Texas reached a significant milestone by surpassing the half-way mark in the percentage of children we served from our combined counties.  Altogether, we provided a trained advocate for 55% of the children who were in State foster care.  We are very pleased to see continued growth in every one of our four counties.  That growth was especially high in Comal and Hays Counties where dedicated volunteers advocated for 72% of the children.  We are making giant strides towards achieving the vision of having a CASA for every child - 100%!

     Not only did we match these children with trained CASA volunteers for while they were in foster care, but our volunteers helped achieve safe and permanent homes for 127 children during 2013.  These successful outcomes included 52 children who were reunified with parents, 23 adopted by relatives, 23 placed in permanent conservatorship with relatives, and 15 children adopted by new families.  Also, CASA stood alongside 12 more youth as they reached independent adulthood on their 18th birthdays. 

     In 2013, CASA of Central Texas trained and supported 220 volunteers who were assigned to cases.  If you would like to become an advocate for children, click HERE for our volunteer application.
Hit the Road with CASA




Order your license plate
HERE.
CASA License Plates are Back

    

    The redesigned Big Voices for Little Texans license plate is now available for purchase through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

     A portion of the proceeds from the license plate goes directly to our local CASA program, and you put our logo on the road.
 

 

Amplify Your Donation


New this year is the option to schedule a gift in advance.  
Visit our page now and set up your donation ahead of time.

AmplifyYou Have 24 Hours to Give



     Mark your calendar to make a difference. Amplify Austin is a community-wide day of online philanthropy with the goal of surpassing last year's $2.8 million raised in 24 hours. CASA of Central Texas raised nearly $7,000 last year and we will again be a part of this exciting campaign. 

  

 

 

     Beginning at 6 p.m. on March 20th, 2014, anyone anywhere can log on to our profile page to select from a list of over 300 local nonprofits, (including CASA of Central Texas) and show the world just how charitable Central Texas can be.

 

CASA Continuing Education
 CE

Upcoming Training for CASA Volunteers
      

Writing Effective Court Reports - Keys To a Successful Report

Presented by Layla Coleman
CASA Casework Supervisor


March 6
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
McKenna Events Center
New Braunfels


Contact Debbie Haynes by email for more information or to RSVP

Volunteers are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education annually
Step Right Up
bigtop

 
Under the Big Top
CASA Carnival for a Cause 
 
CASA of Central Texas invites you to a carnival-themed evening of fun and entertainment, including dinner, silent & live auctions, carnival acts and live music.



Honoring


The Honorable
Todd Blomerth
 
421st Judicial District
The Honorable
Jack Robison
207th Judicial District  
 




 

 








Friday, April 4th, 2014 
6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 
Texas Old Town - Tejas Hall
1205 Roland Lane
Kyle, TX

Midway Sponsor:
Guadalupe Regional Medical Center

Sponsorships available for $2500, $1200 and $750  
Contact CASA if you would like to sponsor this event 
Individual tickets are $75 and $125 a couple
and may be purchased here.
Turn Gruene Blue
funrun
 

CASA Blue Ribbon Fun Run



April 12th
9 a.m.
Gruene

Followed by a balloon release to recognize Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.

Watch for more information!
Community Support
 

 

If you can display our CASA banner or brochures in your place of business to help recruit more volunteers, please contact Community Relations Coordinator Eloise Hudson at (830) 626-2272 or by email.

 

Promote CASA at Your Business


Thank you to the following organizations and businesses for displaying CASA brochures in their buildings:

 

Broadway Bank 
Canyon Lake Animal Clinic 
Victor's Personal Training Center  
Dr. Eugene Clark Library
Lockhart Senior Apartments
Lockhart Chamber of Commerce
Mason Lodge
Lockhart Family Medicine
Texas State Optical
Lockhart Senior Citizen Center
CPL 
Luling Chamber of Commerce
Social Media


 
Follow CASA of Central Texas online to get information
and updates throughout the month!

Click the icons to follow us and help spread the word about CASA!


Like us on Facebook           Follow us on Twitter 


View our profile on LinkedIn          View our videos on YouTube

Upcoming Events




March 

5th-
      Voices Tour, noon
              New Braunfels CASA office

6th-       Continuing Education, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
              New Braunfels, McKenna Events Center

12th-     Voices Tour, noon
              San Marcos CASA office


13th-     Voices Tour, noon
              First Lockhart Bank


19th-     Advocate Training Begins, 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
              New Braunfels CASA office

20th-     Advocate Training Begins, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
              San Marcos CASA office


20th-     Amplify Austin, 6 p.m.



April 
Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month
City and County Proclamation dates TBA 

2nd-
     Voices Tour, noon
              New Braunfels CASA office
 

4th-      
Under the Big Top, 6:30 p.m.
              Texas Old Town, Kyle 

9th-       Voices Tour, noon

              San Marcos CASA office 

10th-       Voices Tour, noon
               Schertz GVEC Community Room

12th-      CASA Blue Ribbon Run Fun, Time TBA
               Gruene 

17th-       Voices Tour, noon
              Seguin GVEC Community Room


May

7th-      Voices Tour, noon
             New Braunfels CASA office


14th-    Voices Tour, noon
             San Marcos CASA office


16th-    Chick-fil-A Cow Classic 2014, 7 a.m.
             Plum Creek, Kyle 
 

Stay Connected! 

 
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Website
 

 
Phone: 830-626-2272

Join our mailing list! 

 
Make a donation to CASA