Volunteers needed to serve Carroll County's abused, neglected children

(Westminster,MD) – Voices For Children of Carroll County, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring Maryland’s children their right to safe, permanent homes seeks volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

CASA volunteers are everyday citizens who are trained to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children who are caught up in the juvenile court and child welfare systems through no fault of their own. They act as the “eyes and ears” of the court and make recommendations as to what course of action is in the child’s best interest. CASA volunteers who work with older foster youth have a unique opportunity to develop a long-term mentoring relationship that can change the life trajectory of a young adult for good.

“I chose to become a CASA because I always had a passion for helping others,” said Kayla Hawkesworth, a Westminster resident who was sworn-in by the courts on December 2, 2014. “It’s really a chance for me to give back to my community and help others who grew up under different circumstances than I have,” she added.

Hawkesworth is a special needs assistant at an elementary school in Taneytown, MD who earned her A.A. degree in Psychology at Carroll Community College and is now pursuing her B.S. degree in Social Work at Brescia University.

She has recently been assigned to the case of an older foster youth in need of someone to speak up for their best interests.

Voices for Children of Carroll County actively seeks dedicated men and women who care about children to volunteer. No special experience is required; training and supervision are provided by professional staff.

With CASA representation, children are:

· More likely to find a safe, permanent home;

· More likely to be adopted;

· Half as likely to re-enter foster care, and

· More likely to perform better in school.

“Currently, Carroll County has more than 40 children who under the protection of the courts,” said Jennifer Fuss, program manager of Voices for Children of Carroll County. “However, due to lack of steady volunteer inquiries, we can only serve about 40% of the children who need us most,” she added.

To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer, call 410-840-2495 or visit http://voicesforchildren-cc.org.

Additional Information

Voices for Children of Carroll County is one of 15 local CASA programs throughout the state, which recruit, train and supervise volunteers appointed by the court to serve as advocates for children under court protection due to abuse and neglect. Currently, CASA serves children in 19 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions. For more information about Voices for Children of Carroll County, please visit http://voicesforchildren-cc.org/. For information regarding other CASA programs throughout the state of Maryland, please visit www.MarylandCASA.org