CASA Seeking Volunteers

PLAINFIELD, Ill. – January 6, 2016 – CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Will County, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to draw from community resources to provide well-trained volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system, is seeking volunteers.

Information sessions are for anyone interested in learning more about volunteering with CASA of Will County. These sessions are open to the public and are expected to last about an hour. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for the following dates in Plainfield:

• Tuesday, January 12th 5:30 -6:30pm Village Hall, 24401 W. Lockport Street Plainfield, IL
• Saturday February, 13th 10:30 -11:30am Plainfield Police Dept., 14300S. Coil Dr. Plainfield, IL

CASA volunteers play an integral role in acting as guardian ad litem in court cases involving minors who have been abused or neglected. As advocates, CASA volunteers fulfill four primary roles in their appointed children’s cases:

• Investigation of the child’s circumstances, becoming the judge’s eyes and ears
• Monitoring compliance with court orders, ensuring necessary services are being provided to the child and family
• Verification of whether the parents are completing their services and improving their parenting skills
• Advocating for successful placement in a permanent loving home as quickly as possible

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, advocates receive 33 hours of pre-service training and must commit approximately ten hours per month of volunteer service in addition to meeting other requirements, including a criminal background check and a personal interview. The first step for anyone interested in becoming a CASA volunteer is to submit a Volunteer Application, which can be found online at www.casaofwillcounty.org/application.shtml. Training classes take place quarterly. The volunteer training schedule can be found online at http://www.casaofwillcounty.org/training.shtml.

“People are unaware of the vital role a CASA volunteer makes not only in the success of the system but in positively impacting the child’s life,” said CASA of Will County Executive Director Rita Facchina.

Those interested in the program can call the office at 815-730-7072, or email Lori Caton at lcaton@casaofwillcounty.org, or visit the website at www.casaofwillcounty.org.

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About CASA of Will County: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Will County is a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to draw from the community resources to provide well-trained volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in our juvenile court system. CASA of Will County is a member of the National CASA Association, a United Way of Will County agency and a proud partner of the Community Foundation of Will County. For more information please visit www.casaofwillcounty.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/casawillcounty.