This fall has been such an exciting and meaningful season for CAST. Our students continue to grow in confidence and leadership as they serve in schools and throughout the community — and it’s been inspiring to watch their hearts for service in action.
Earlier this month, we had the privilege of attending the Habitat for Humanity Key Ceremony, where two families exchanged their first mortgage payments for the keys to their new homes. CAST was honored to participate in the Faith Build this year, and it was such a joy for our students to witness the culmination of that work — seeing the power of partnership, faith, and community come together in such a tangible way.
We’re also proud to highlight Jah’Ziah, a remarkable young man who has grown tremendously in his leadership and service. His commitment to showing up, encouraging others, and leading by example captures the very heart of CAST.
As we look toward the holidays, I encourage you to volunteer with us — it’s a wonderful season to get involved and make a difference alongside our students. And please save the date for our CAST Holiday Gathering, an open-house style evening at the One Center filled with joy, connection, and interactive time with our students. It’s a celebration you won’t want to miss!
With gratitude,
Sonja White
Executive Director
A Season of Impact: Invest in CAST Students
As the year winds down and the holiday season begins, many look for opportunities to give. We invite you to make a lasting investment by including CAST in your end-of-year giving plans.
Your financial partnership is essential for sustaining and growing our student programs. Please review our Sponsorship Opportunities to see how your contribution can directly support a student or program element:
$20,000: Sponsor a School
$10,000: Sponsor a Student Internship (One Year)
$5,000: Sponsor a Student Leader Training
$2,500: Sponsor an Intern Leader (Summer)
$1,000: Sponsor a Student (One Year)
$500: Sponsor a Student Development Camp (One Week)
$250: Sponsor a Student Domestic Mission Trip
If you feel led to support our mission, use the button to donate securely online today.
In October, we successfully hosted our 3rd Annual Student Lock-In, a highly anticipated event that signals the official start of the CAST school year. This year, we were thrilled to welcome 17 high school students ranging from 10th to 12th grade, representing Early College, McKinley, and Central Catholic High Schools.
The dedicated evening provides our students with a much-needed opportunity to unwind, enjoy themselves, and connect with their peers and mentors. Serving as a vital platform, the Lock-In allows them to strengthen old friendships, forge new ones, and build stronger relationships with the dedicated adult leaders who invest so much in our programming.
The night was a blast and flew by for both students and leaders alike! Highlights included a late-night feast of tacos and nachos, a hilariously creative bubble wrap runway/dance competition, and an engaging discussion about the importance of why we even “Care.” From intense games in the dark to rounds of Jeopardy, we were so caught up in the fun that we barely had a chance to capture the evening on our phones!
We are incredibly thankful to The One Center for always welcoming our students for these extra special events. A huge thank you also goes to our amazing leaders—Courtney, Sydney, Eva, Matthew, Erin, Gabe, and Taylor—for making this unforgettable night possible for our students!
CAST at St. Michael’s
CAST afterschool at St. Michael’s is up and running for this school year and we could not be more excited! We kicked off our school year with a simple and oh-so fun service project…decorating place mats for the Refuge of Hope! We challenged this group of students to spend time decorating 5 different place mats:
Halloween Themed
Fall Themed
Thanksgiving Themed
A Bible Verse
Free Choice
Per usual, our students were up to the challenge and within a few minutes we had a stack of placemats ready to make their way to the Refuge
Fun Facts about Jah’Ziah:
What are some of your favorite things to do around Stark County?
Any shopping centers with clothing, accessories, and food.
What are some things that you’re most proud of?
My accomplishments in school, grade-wise, and all the work I’ve done for CAST.
What’s one word you would use to describe yourself?
Dependable.
Celebrating our Students:
JahZiah Martin
Jah’Ziah is an 11th grader at McKinley Senior High School, currently enrolled in the school’s nursing program. He is one of our student CAST leaders and is also a part of the Speech and Debate Club.
Jah’Ziah has made a significant impact through his service with CAST. One of his favorite experiences being our summer mission trip with RippleFX, where students served the people of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, through simple yet meaningful tasks such as mowing lawns, weeding, and having meaningful conversations with the residents.
When asked why he chooses to serve, Jah’Ziah shared, “Knowing that I can make a positive impact on an individual’s life makes me come out and serve with other students.” Over the past year, he has been one of our most consistent members, showing up to nearly every CAST moment that he can.
Jah’Ziah plans to attend college after graduation to study Social Work and eventually earn his master’s degree in the same field. He noted, “CAST definitely had an impact on that decision. I believe that serving now will help me leave my comfort zone for things I plan on doing in my future.”
CAST is transforming the student clothing closet!
Our CAST group at STEAMM Academy has been hard at work sorting and organizing the school's clothing closet. What started as an overstuffed space is slowly transforming into a vital resource where students can get exactly what they need to make it through the school day.
The STEAMM clothing closet has students covered, whether they need clean clothes, dried off after walking to school in the rain, or a quick change after a gym mishap. It also helps students meet dress code requirements discreetly and easily.
The #1 Essential Item: Black Leggings
While sorting through the donations, our students noticed one MAJOR need: black leggings! Adult black leggings in ALL sizes are the most requested item by far, yet the closet is severely lacking them. This is our biggest current need.
Pictured above are two of our dedicated CAST students, both three-year members at STEAMM, sporting the exact type of leggings we are looking for during a recent spirit day!
If you feel led to help stock the STEAMM clothing closet with black leggings, please use the button below to email Taylor. We will coordinate with you to ensure your donation gets directly to STEAMM.
Our friends and community partners over at The Children’s Toy Fund are looking for some additional volunteers to join their dedicated volunteer crew. The Children’s Toy Fund raises funds through charitable gaming: BINGO to purchase all things comfort and fun for children facing difficult situations. If you would be intrested in volunteering with The Children’s Toy Fund on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday evenings please use the button below to email Ashley.
Get ready! Our students have a jam-packed volunteer calendar for both November and December. In addition to our regular rotation with our community partners, we have a MASSIVE "No School—Serve" weekend leading up to Thanksgiving this year!
Rumor has it... we may even have brand new T-shirts for volunteers!
Take a look at our calendars and let us know if you'd like to join our students for any of the upcoming service opportunities! Just email Taylor for details about each event!
And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16
Caring and Serving Together CAST | 901 Tuscarawas St. E. | Canton, OH 44707 US
