What
WE'VE BEEN UP TO!

A CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is a specially trained community volunteer appointed by a judge to speak up for the best interests of a child in the child protection system. CASA volunteers undergo thorough screening and training so they’re fully prepared to serve as strong, informed advocates.

Once appointed, a CASA volunteer focuses on one child or sibling group at a time, ensuring personalized attention and consistent support. They build a trusting relationship with the child, learn their story, and advocate for them in court and other settings—remaining with the case until the child is placed in a safe, permanent home.

At CASA of Gage County, volunteers are carefully matched to cases where their skills and experience will have the most impact. By staying with the child from start to finish, they provide stability in a time when many other people in the child’s life may change.

CASA volunteers meet with parents, relatives, foster families, teachers, doctors, social workers, attorneys, and others to gather important information. They use these insights to advise judges on what is truly in the child’s best interests.

You don’t need to be a lawyer to be a CASA volunteer—just someone with a heart for children and a commitment to making a difference.

We value:

Advocacy – Giving each child a voice in their own story.
Commitment – Standing by the child through the entire case.
Stability – Being the one constant in an uncertain time.
Protection – Safeguarding each child’s safety and well-being.
Permanency – Helping secure a safe, lasting home.

Children living in poverty face higher risks of abuse and neglect—five times higher for families with low socioeconomic status. While poverty itself is not neglect, it can create stress that leads to unsafe situations. The cost of child maltreatment is staggering: in 2018, the lifetime economic burden in the U.S. was estimated at $592 billion—a public health challenge comparable to heart disease and diabetes.

Source: U.S. Administration for Children & Families – Child Maltreatment Report, 2024