Metairie, La. (WGNO)— April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and most children in foster care have been victims of abuse or neglect. Those children need a voice outside of the system to work on their behalf.
Wendy Magee, Executive Director of CASA Jefferson says, “We believe it is important for children that come through the foster care system to have somebody that is consistent with them and not just another number or another case number that is in the foster care system.”
That belief is at the heart of the work of the Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA Jefferson. There are 87 assigned children under CASA’s care but 21 are on a waiting list and that’s where you can help.
Advocate Recruiter Margaret Ether stated, “In order for our children to get the right representation from the people in the community, we need we need to recruit people in the community to volunteer to help our children.”
The current recruitment effort is called Be the One in 2022 encouraging citizens to become advocates.
CASA offers support in the form of books, gifts, and financial efforts all in the name of giving children a say in what happens in their lives.
According to Magee, “We believe that children need a voice in the courtroom. They sit there, they listen to everybody talk about their and sometimes nobody asks them what’s important to them, what are their needs, what are their wishes and that is what CASA does.”
To volunteer, call CASA Jefferson at 504-533-8757