together we will

make-a-difference

You can help abused, neglected and abandoned children across the state by getting involved with the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) network.

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Volunteer

to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)

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Contribute

by making a charitable donation

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Support

local CASA activities
and events

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our mission and work

Volunteer

When a child enters the child welfare system because his or her home is no longer safe, a judge may appoint a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or a CASA volunteer, to speak up for the best interests of the child in family court and other settings.

As a CASA volunteer, you will make a real difference for abused and neglected children by giving them a voice and providing a stable influence in their lives. You will serve as the eyes and ears of the court to promote the safety and well-being of children in the protective services system. To ensure you understand your role, special training and supervision will be provided before you are assigned a case.

Data shows that children who are assigned a CASA volunteer advocate are more likely to:

Find a safe, permanent home
Spend less time in foster care
Have fewer moves between foster placements
Do better in school
Receive the services they need
Avoid re-entry into foster care

CASA volunteers are positively impacting the lives of abused and neglected children.

What Do CASA Volunteer Advocates Do?

Volunteer responsibilities include:

  • Spending a significant amount of time with a child to build a relationship and gain his or her trust
  • Exploring all aspects of the child’s life and gather information from everyone involved, including family members, foster parents, teachers, daycare providers, doctors, lawyers, social workers and other relevant persons
  • Ensuring the child has access to needed services, i.e. medical, education and housing
  • Accompanying the child to court to advocate for their needs and rights
  • Providing a comprehensive picture of the child’s life to the judge when the case goes to court
  • Promoting safety and bringing a sense of urgency to the child’s needs
  • Committing to advocate for the child’s best interest until he or she reaches a safe, permanent home

CASA volunteer advocates must:

  • Be willing to commit several hours of your time each month for at least one year
  • Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
  • Participate in an in-depth training program
  • Participate in an in-service training
  • Pass criminal and DHR history background checks
  • Be over age 21

Take the First Step

Are you ready to speak up for children in need?
TOGETHER WE WILL improve the lives of
abused and neglected children in the Cheaha Region.

Careers with CASA of the Cheaha Region

CASA of the Cheaha Region provides equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), color, race, national origin, ancestry, religion, marital status, family care status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal and state laws.

Current Opportunities:

CASA of The Cheaha Region is currently hiring for the position of Advocate Coordinator.

Advocate Coordinator Hiring Announcement

Position: Advocate Coordinator

Status: Full-time

Location: CASA of the Cheaha Region, Calhoun County

Salary: $35,000

Reports to Executive Director

SUMMARY:

This position is responsible for the ongoing supervision of advocates and management of the program’s appointed cases of abuse and neglect in the Court.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree preferred, in a social service-related field, or the equivalent combination of  education  and experience. Must have advanced writing skills and be able to pass a grammatical exam prior to hiring. Ability to interact with, inspire, and empower volunteers effectively. Consistently able to work with different types of personalities respectfully. Positive, uplifting attitude with ability to adapt. Knowledge and understanding of issues and dynamics within families in crisis relating to child abuse and neglect. Long term commitment to the program’s mission, goals, and standards. Must have the ability to be on call as needed for volunteer support. After hours and weekend work may be required, periodically.

 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

·      Volunteer Management

Assist with the recruitment, screening and training of new volunteers. Assist with reviewing new cases and assigning volunteers. Prepare and distribute assignment documentation. Oversee case development. Provide support to volunteers through regular communication. Consult with volunteers regarding reports. Attend court hearings when required. Maintain case files on-site to include maintenance and data entry in Optima software. Assist with the completion of monthly reporting and implementation of a volunteer in-service training program. Prepare volunteer evaluations. Prepare written court reports. Edit written volunteer reports. Grammatically proficient in written and spoken word. Assist in the preparation of volunteer and community events.

·       Community Awareness

Maintain effective relationships through personal contact and written communication with other professional and social service organizations, funding groups and charitable organizations. Interpret the mission of CASA to the public.

·       Administrative

Attend conferences, seminars, continuing education and meetings as requested by the Program Director. Participate in fundraising activities when requested. Maintain own casefiles for own caseload and file accordingly. Compile statistical information as required. Travel and reliable transportation are required; and other duties as assigned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Be a team-player and support co-workers in the CASA office, as well as team members in DHR and the legal system. Business casual attire appropriate for office environment. Local travel required; proof of Alabama driver’s license and car insurance (required).

Candidates must successfully complete the local and federal criminal background checks, sex offender background checks, and Child Abuse Registry clearances.

EEO POLICY STATEMENT

The Alabama CASA Network and CASA of the  Cheaha  Region provides equal employment opportunity  for all employees and applicants for employment and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), color, race, national origin, ancestry, religion, marital status, family care status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal and state laws.

HOW TO APPLY

Please email your resume and cover letter to lmiller@alabamacasa.org

Other Opportunities

If you’re looking for ways to support CASA and the vulnerable children we serve, but aren’t in a position to become a volunteer advocate—don’t worry. There are several other ways you can help:

Become a non-advocate volunteer:
Creative ways to help your local CASA programs are endless and very welcome. Please contact our office if you are interested in volunteering as a non-advocate.

  • Help with administrative tasks in your local CASA office
  • Set up a luggage, gas card, or office supply drive
  • Assist with filing or data entry
  • Donate office space to a CASA program in your community
  • Volunteer to be on our events team
  • Make or purchase birthday and/or Valentine cards for CASA kids that your local program staff can deliver
  • Organize a “Blue Jeans” day at your office where employees pay $5 to wear jeans; proceeds go to CASA

Spread the word:

  • Share our website with family, friends and co-workers
  • Follow us on social media, and like and share our postings:

Make a financial contribution:
Your tax-deductible donation enables us to advocate for more children in need. There are several ways and opportunities to give:

  • Make an individual donation
  • Supplement your contribution with a matching gift from your employer
  • Donate in memory or honor of a family member or friend
  • Give a donation to commemorate a special event
  • Sponsor an Event
  • Make a recurring donation of $10/month

CASA of the Cheaha Region Sponsors

Our Supporters

We truly appreciate the corporations and foundations who support CASA of the Cheaha Region. Their continued generosity and commitment enable us to serve more children.

CASA Champions donate over $25,000 annually:

CASA Protectors donate over $15,000 annually:

Keller Williams Realty Group

CASA Ambassadors:

Berman Charitable Foundation

Sunny King Automotive Group

Jacksonville State University’s Alpha Xi Delta

CASA Sponsors:

Michael and Tonya Sargent

Leatherwood Baptist Church’s GAP Women’s Ministry

SAM’s Club Oxford, Alabama

Walmart of Oxford

Ike & Carrie Brown

Covenant Life Ministries, Alexandria

Dunn’s HVAC, Plumbing, & Electrical

Brown Roofing Co, Inc.

Rotary Club of Calhoun County

Kiwanis Club of Anniston

Magical Wishes Travel, LLC

 

CASA GEMs (Givers Every Month):

Donny & Maegan Dunn

Kelsey and Hellon McWilliams

Apex Coatings

Magical Wishes Travel by Shana Reed

We have made every effort to ensure our lists are complete and accurate.  If you have found an error or omission, please contact Laura Miller at 334-610-6559 or email Lmiller@alabamacasa.org.

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In addition to providing our advocates with continuing education opportunities year round to strengthen them in areas of child advocacy, we thoroughly enjoy being able to put down the heaviness every now and again and just have fun with our team. Tonight, we had a volunteer in- service with Look to the Hills Pottery leading us in mug making. When you join the CASA team, you first and foremost sign up to make differences but also memories and messes! We’ve all agreed to come back in three weeks to play a game to see whose mug can actually hold coffee. We’ve already identified the ones that will be labeled as decoration only! ... See MoreSee Less

We are so thankful to have received this support from Anniston Kiwanis!At our meeting on Thursday, we awarded 16 organizations with a total of $15,025. These funds are being used by these organizations for youth sponsored programs in the Anniston area.

Every pancake ticket and sponsorship from our annual pancake day in March goes right back into our community. Our Pancake Day provides funding for our local Key Club Scholarships, our Back to School Shopping event, and for these Young Child Priority One grants. So THANK YOU to each of these organizations for what YOU mean to the children in this community and THANK YOU to everyone’s support of our annual Pancake Day!

Congratulations to our 2024 YCPO grant recipients: 2nd Chance, Inc., Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Alabama, CASA of the Cheaha Region, Community Enabler, Hope Family Services, Independent Reading/Counseling Svc., Inc., Interfaith Ministries of Calhoun County, Junior League of Anniston-Calhoun, Kidz Day Out, Knox Concert Series-Nutcracker, The Legacy Project, PreSchool Friends, Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County, Sight Savers America, United Way of East Central Alabama, and YMCA of Calhoun County.
... See MoreSee Less

We are so thankful to have received this support from Anniston Kiwanis!
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