Day of Caring 2024
At United Way’s Day of Caring 2024, CASA staff got to volunteer at local community partner organization St. Gianna’s No Cost Baby Boutique.
Amy D’Aprile first heard about CASA when she lived in San Antonio, Texas. She couldn’t volunteer then due to job commitments, but after moving to Michigan, she was able to get involved. She began volunteering in 2018, and her three cases have brought her to all parts of Michigan.
Amy lives life with her heart open, looking for ways to help kids and be the voice she wished she had as a child. This attitude causes her to combine her passion for advocating for children with her love of running, bringing visibility to CASA’s mission and raising funds for CASA’s programs.
Beginning on October 11, Amy ran, jogged, shuffled, and walked across Michigan for the third annual Running for CASA. Amy began on the Kal-Haven Trail in South Haven and planned to finish her 100-mile run near Detroit on the Clinton-River Trail. Every donation Amy received from a person or company in a Michigan county with a local CASA program was donated to that local program. All donations outside of Michigan or where a local county program does not exist went to either Amy’s local CASA program in Livingston County or Michigan CASA. Amy aims to raise money and awareness for all local CASA programs across Michigan.
Amy believes that investing in CASA programs helps children find hope, allowing them to grow into adults who can break the cycle of abuse and neglect. In Amy’s eyes, running a marathon is a metaphor for the journey children in foster care face. She believes the perseverance required to cross Michigan is just a glimpse of the resilience children in foster care show as they navigate challenges on their path to a permanent family and home.
Amy’s support system makes a world of difference. She credits her husband, fellow CASA programs, volunteers, and the children she advocates for with fueling her determination. Just as she relies on her community, Amy hopes that children in foster care feel the unwavering support of their caseworkers, lawyers, and CASA volunteers as they navigate this pivotal time in their lives. Together, she believes, we can help these children find stability and hope for the future.
To follow along with Amy’s progress, check out her go fund me page here:
Fundraiser by Amy D’Aprile : 3rd Annual Running for CASA (gofundme.com)
At United Way’s Day of Caring 2024, CASA staff got to volunteer at local community partner organization St. Gianna’s No Cost Baby Boutique.
CASA volunteers are an essential piece in the life of a child’s life to recognize their hard work the CASA staff held a special dinner event.
Recently, CASA of Kent County had the honor of being one of the featured organizations for Child Welfare Night at Jazz in the Park.
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