A Sioux Falls service group is giving the CASA program $11,000. Rotary West members raised the money to benefit an organization that advocates for children in the court system.
Rich Lauer says Rotary is about putting service above self. He says that mission prompted the club to choose the CASA program to receive 11-thousand dollars. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. Volunteers work for judges to support children who are victims of abuse and neglect.
Lauer says members recognize the importance of putting child advocates in court.
"The volunteer commits to a period of a year to 18 months per case. It involved an incredible, in my opinion, reservoir of emotional strength and stability to be a CASA volunteer," Lauer says. "These are generally not pleasant cases you’re dealing with when it’s abuse and neglect of children."
Lauer says members of Rotary West drummed up $8,500 for CASA through a wine raffle fundraiser, and his group applied for a grant from the Rotary Foundation. Rotary District Governor Nancy Moose says the grant is worth $2500.
"There are six focuses that rotary international has, and one of those is child and maternal health, and this one fits exactly into that, because you’re taking case of children," Moose says.
Moose says the CASA donation also relates to another tenet – education.
CASA Executive Director Amy Benda says, in Lincoln and Minnehaha County, 43 cases right now don’t have child advocate volunteers. She says CASA representatives are essential, because social service workers often handle more than one dozen cases.
"Although they all are passionate and hard workers and want what’s best for these children, resources and time is just not an option for them, because they are juggling so many cases. So that’s one piece that makes us very unique is that our volunteers can really give 100 percent of their attention to that family," Benda says.
Benda says the group plans to use the $11,000 to support recruiting and training volunteers. Her goal is to identify and prepare another 140 people to advocate for children in court.
For more information about CASA, visit this link to the organization's website.