When Lisa James entered foster care for the second time, her world was crumbling. Lisa’s father was incarcerated, her mother was battling addiction, and her older brothers were struggling. Alex was dealing with a recent shoplifting arrest, and Drew had just failed his junior year of high school.
The fear of losing her brothers consumed Lisa. Sleepless nights and distracted days became her new normal. Despite being the youngest, Lisa carried the immense weight of keeping her family together. Lisa’s grades began to slip, chipping away at her already fragile self-esteem.
Everything changed when the James Siblings were appointed their CASA volunteer, Jess. With careful attention and compassion, Jess recognized Lisa’s unique needs. Jess recommended implementing an individual education plan to ensure that Lisa received the academic support she needed. Understanding the importance of trauma-informed mental healthcare, Jess advocated for Lisa to continue therapy with a new therapist she could trust and relate to. Additionally, Jess recommended art classes, which provided Lisa with a much-needed creative outlet and a chance to experience some adolescent normalcy.
Two years later, Jess’s unwavering advocacy has transformed the James siblings’ lives. Lisa is healing, resilient, and together with her brothers – a testament to the power of dedicated advocacy.
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To read more about the James children’s story, click here.
NOTE: Names and details have been changed to protect confidentiality.
As the CASA staff member in charge of volunteer recruitment, I get a lot of questions about what training is like. So, I decided to find out for myself! I attended all five weeks of training, completed online pre-work, observed a court hearing, and was even sworn in as an officer of the court.
At CASA of Kent County, we embrace five values that drive our work: Be Curious, Forge Community Connections, Strive for Excellence, Take the Next Right Step, and Believe in CASA’s Mission. Earlier this year, Executive Director Stephanie Sheler asked staff members to decorate their doors to represent each of those values. Some were more enthused than others by the thought of arts and crafts, but everyone jumped in with unique ideas of how to represent their assigned value.
Noah* was just fifteen years old when an increasingly tumultuous relationship with his parents escalated. Eventually, they permanently kicked him...
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