The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Yuma County need volunteers to advocate for kids in foster care.
Volunteers serve as the voice for kids in Yuma County with an open Department of Child Services Case.
It is a national program that operates in all 15 Arizona counties and in Yuma County, Sandra Garrison has been advocating for foster care kids since 1993.
"We are the eyes and the ears of the judge and the voice of the child," Garrison said. "Our job is to wrap around that child, look at what they are doing, see that the services they are getting is what they need. Make recommendations to the judge on what the next steps should be for that child."
Volunteers spend time with the child, observe visits and school while making recommendations to the judge.
To volunteer, you must be over the age of 21 and will undergo an extensive background check. Your schedule must be flexible due to court trials, issues, and whatever comes up Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"The thing that’s a little difficult for some volunteers is that we ask that if
possible, we understand life happens, that you can stay for the life of the case. As
long as that child is in a dependency case, that could be a minimum of probably six
months, maximum could be a couple of years or more," said Garrison.
CASA volunteers can advocate for one or more cases at a time, and currently, in Yuma County, there are 139 kids without a CASA volunteer.
If interested in applying visit here.
