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CASA Youth Advocates Receives $40,000 National Grant to Benefit More Children in Delaware and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania
Other grants from Judi Marvel Charities and Dircks Family Foundation will help CASA expand the impact of its reach in Chester County.
Media, PA, March 29, 2017—CASA Youth Advocates has received a $40,000 grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. Funds will be used to support children in Delaware and Chester Counties’ child welfare system through recruitment of CASA volunteers who help them find a safe, permanent home where they can thrive.
CASA Youth Advocates is one of 943 CASA and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) programs with 76,756 volunteers across the country. The program recruits, trains and supports volunteers who ensure that children who have been removed from their parents’ care receive appropriate services and have a voice in determining their futures.
According to research conducted through the National CASA Association, children with a Court Appointed Special Advocate are more likely to be adopted, half as likely to re-enter foster care, receive more services while in the system, and perform better in school. Insuring these improved outcomes for all children in Delaware and Chester Counties’ Dependency Courts becomes a matter of scale and resource.
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In 2016, National CASA awarded over $4.1 million in federal grants to help CASA/GAL programs recruit needed volunteers.
“We are always so grateful to our supporters at the National CASA who believe that the work we all do is changing lives,” said Anne Shenberger, Executive Director of CASA Youth Advocates.
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The federal grant funds, distributed through National CASA, are provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), US Department of Justice, as authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. They are awarded through a competitive process.
Not only has the Media, PA-based organization received the National CASA grant, but it has also been awarded grants from Judi Marvel Charities and Dircks Family Foundation for volunteer recruitment and aiding the special needs of the children CASA serves that are not covered by other funding sources.
Anne also said, “While it is always wonderful to receive a grant from our national organization, it’s great that the importance of our impact is noticed by smaller foundations and charities. Everything helps.”
CASA Youth Advocates is holding its next volunteer training session on July 31, 2017. For more information about becoming a volunteer and to fill out an application, follow this link: http://delcocasa.org/volunteer/getting-started
About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association
The National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, together with its state and local member programs, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every abused or neglected child in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and the opportunity to thrive.
About Judi Marvel Charities
Named after a compassionate and devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, Judi Marvel Charities is committed to ensuring that every dollar donated goes to an organization who will use it to better the life of a person in need. In 15 years, the charity has funded 45 different non-profit organizations across four states.
About Dircks Family Foundation
The Robert and Joan Dircks Foundation focuses on programs and projects that provide opportunities to children and adults who are physically, mentally, or economically disadvantaged. The Foundation concentrates on small non-profit organizations, primarily in New Jersey, that provide programs and projects to prevent or solve problems rather than operational needs.
About CASA Youth Advocates
Since 1992, CASA Youth Advocates has worked to ensure each child in Delaware and Chester Counties’ welfare systems a safe, permanent and nurturing hone. Delaware County CASA recruits and trains volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates to advise the courts on the best interests of an abused or neglected child, with support and guidance from CASA’s professional staff of social workers and attorneys.
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