CASA of Baltimore Welcomes 9 New Advocates

Baltimore, MD. – Recently, Judge Robert Kershaw, Associate Judge for the Baltimore City Circuit Court swore in the following individuals to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for CASA of Baltimore, Inc.: Sara Close of Mount Vernon, Mary Floyd of Gardenville, Vijay Iyer of Remington, Laetitia Messi of Burtonsville, Giovanna Selvaggio and Natalie Neill of Charles Village, Cassandra Nelson of Downtown Baltimore, Kim Sauer of Highlandtown, and Brittney Taylor of Gwynn Oak.

The newly appointed CASA volunteers join more than 100 other dedicated community members who have been trained and are advocating for foster children in Baltimore City’s juvenile dependency court system. As officers of the court, they ensure that the children’s needs are recognized and best interests are considered both in the courtroom and in the community.

“We are so pleased to welcome our new volunteers, and we look forward to recruiting and training more volunteers who will make a difference in the lives of Baltimore’s Children,” said Nancy Blackwell, Executive Director for CASA of Baltimore City, Inc.

CASA volunteers are asked to meet with the child regularly and are authorized to interview people in the child’s life such as social workers, attorneys, and teachers. They attend court hearings with the child and report their findings to the judge. “Our volunteers pledge to stay with each child until the case is closed, and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home," said Blackwell. "The advocate is often the only consistent adult presence in the child’s life.”

According to the Kids Count Data Center, a project of the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation there were 1,916 children in out-of-home placements in Baltimore City as of December, 2015. Less than 10% of whom have representation from a CASA volunteer.

“Giving back to my community is incredibly important to me,” commented Sauer, a resident of Highlandtown. “Making sure the best interests of these children are met is the ultimate goal, so if I can assist even one of them in achieving a happy permanency, it will all be worth it,” she added.

Sauer currently works as the Legislative & Legal Coordinator for the Baltimore Child Abuse Center. Prior to her 3 years with the organization, she worked as a Research Associate for the University of Maryland School of Medicine/Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center and as a HIV/AIDS Counselor & Research Assistant for Johns Hopkins University, SOM Emergency Department. She is a proud graduate of the University of Baltimore.

There is no special experience is required to become a CASA volunteer; training and supervision are provided by professional staff. For more information about volunteer opportunities with CASA of Baltimore, Inc., call Nancy Raskin, Volunteer Recruitment Manager at 410-244-1465 or visit http://www.casabalt.org.

About CASA of Baltimore Inc.

Founded in 1988, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Baltimore, Inc. serves abused and neglected children by representing their voices in the Baltimore City court system and advocating for their best interests in the judicial, educational, medical and social service communities. The non-profit recruits, trains and supervises CASAs to provide written, objective recommendations to the Court; to serve as a consistent adult presence, and to monitor that child's well-being. As advocates, the volunteers ensure that their assigned child’s best interests are heard and understood by the Court. CASA volunteers aid in the transition from the foster care system to a safe permanent home, giving hope and support to Baltimore’s children. For more information, visit www.casabalt.org.