Summer 2007 Art Event Benefi ts Youth page 18 Cover Overrepresentation of Youth Helping Youth 2007 National Story: of Color in Foster Care Features: Retain Cultural Ties Conference Highlights page 5 page 13 page 14 volunteer voice Rita Triviz Mesilla Valley CASA, Inc. Las Cruces, NM fter many years of teaching in barrio schools and other Acommunity service—including a stint as the fi rst woman elected to the Dona Ana County Commission—I became a Court Appointed Special Advocate in 2001. What fi nally precipitated my training as a CASA volunteer was my concern for a girl who came into my 1st-grade class for a month. She seemed remarkably clingy with her mother when I fi rst met her. After she left our school, all I could fi nd out was that she was taken away from this mother, who had recently adopted her. I hoped CASA would help ensure that children like her would receive compassionate attention. My second CASA case has kept me engaged as a volunteer. It involves three children assigned to me on Thanksgiving of 2002. Last year, I volunteered to take my third case involving fi ve children, including the oldest boy who stole my heart when he was in kindergarten. When this lovable youngster was in 4th grade, I asked to be assigned as his CASA as soon he and his four siblings were placed in foster care. My current two cases have a total of eight children in seven foster homes who live in three cities (one being 220 miles north of where I live and one being 70 miles east). They range from 3 to 13 years of age. I have no delusions of grandeur that my commitment of a few hours a month interacting with children who are in foster care 24/7 will always have a lasting impact on the quality of their lives, but I feel a civic obligation to help put a young life on a positive trajectory. I hope that being one constant adult es, NM might make a diff erence in the lives of children who are now with their fourth social worker and in their fi fth foster home. I’m chagrined when non-CASA volunteers claim to admire my dedication because I know my role is not as ontoya—Las Cruc time consuming nor as emotionally taxing as being a foster parent. It’s been uplifting to encounter some of the foster y Linda M mothers I’ve been fortunate to meet. These women should be celebrated on Oprah and in movies like Freedom Writers! to © 2007 b I remember once grousing to myself about what a martyr I Pho was for driving to see a child who lived only 10 miles from my full-time teaching job and from my loving, supportive mother who was recovering from a stroke. I was so annoyed that I Since so few people seem to appreciate the eff orts of ended up missing a crucial turn and had to backtrack in the 1st-grade teachers (in my experience), it was particularly dark. After visiting this young girl and her foster mom, I gave rewarding the time I was sitting outside a courtroom waiting myself a reality check: “Rita, you are no martyr. You’ve been for my time in front of the judge and overheard two lawyers: lucky your whole life!” “Did you read the CASA report?!” Furthermore, the CASA kids themselves are inspirational. Sometimes I get discouraged working in the juvenile They bring a whole new meaning to the word resilient. There’s justice system. But when I get impatient, I think of Dr. Martin one middle-schooler who I’ve volunteered for since she was Luther King, Jr. and his speech after marching from Selma to in 3rd grade. She’s been in fi ve diff erent foster homes and a Montgomery: residential treatment center—and she’s so wise that she could I know you are asking today, How long will it take? train volunteers or write a book! When I gave her a journal …However diffi cult the moment, however frustrating the and a fancy pen from our local CASA program this Christmas, hour, it will not be long, because truth pressed to earth her huge grin was heart-warming. She truly appreciated my will rise again. How long? Not long, because no lie can insistence that her wisdom was worth writing down. She’s live forever. How long? Not long, because you still reap been nurtured enough to value the abstract sentiment what you sow. How long? Not long, because the arc of the represented by a blank spiral notebook. moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. from the president Why Our Supporters Care Mimi Feller Board President, National CASA ike most of our readers, you are probably a supporter During my career at Gannett Company as the senior vice Lof the CASA cause for abused and neglected children. president of public affairs and government relations, I also So we offer you our hearty thanks! But you may also be managed the Gannett Foundation. In that role, I distinctly curious about what motivates other donors to choose this remember the first time a local CASA program sought our help. charity among the many nonprofit organizations out there. What made the program stand apart was its mission: safe, In June, I had the pleasure of attending a board meet- permanent homes for abused and neglected children. It was ing of Jewelers for Children (JFC), one of National CASA’s also appealing to us as a nationwide corporation that CASA largest supporters. Since 1999, JFC has contributed nearly volunteers are located in almost every state, in all kinds of $28 million to children’s charities—an amazing record. cities, communities and rural areas. And the obvious quality of Our four years of JFC support adds up to over $4.3 million, CASA volunteers made this an easy cause to support. much of which has been redistributed to local CASA/GAL The feeling inspired by the CASA network’s support from programs nationwide. We congratulate the entire JFC board judges, both parties of congress, state governments and the of directors for their enthusiastic participation in fundrais- press is something else that attracts the attention of corpo- ing, which makes possible tremendous aid to children. rations and foundations. After all, there is no downside to A highlight of the meeting for me was witnessing the supporting our volunteer advocacy. phenomenal group of recipients in which we are included Support from corporations comes not only in dollars but as JFC’s “legacy” charities: the Make-a-Wish Foundation, also in donated goods and services. A few years ago, we de- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Elizabeth cided to contact the CBS television network to see whether Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation. It is quite an honor to be a series star would do a public service announcement for included on that list of national children’s charities. the CASA cause. The gracious reception we received went While JFC is indeed a large, “institutional” donor, far beyond our expectations. When we walked in the door, it couldn’t achieve what it does without the personal the marketing team had already read all the materials we interest of individuals. When I met incoming chairman had sent. Since then, CBS has given us nearly $12 million Howard Sherwood, the very first sentence out of his worth of network advertising time, with series stars Danny mouth was that his wife happens to be a CASA volunteer! Pino and Simon Baker, that has brought the CASA mes- Coincidentally, National CASA’s annual conference took sage to over 38 million viewers. As a result, we have seen place immediately after the JFC meeting. At our awards dramatic increases in the number of volunteer inquiries banquet, David Rocha, JFC’s executive director, explained to our member programs. In addition, CBS has designated their motivation for giving to the CASA network: National CASA as one of its key charities, with a presence on the CBS Cares website. This really is from the perspective of Jewelers for Finally, our base of support isn’t limited to large in- Children and the entire jewelry industry a partnership. stitutions. Just as the heart of CASA’s work involves our I think one of the greatest things that you can do in individual volunteers, the heart of our support comes from life is bring a smile to a child. And whether that be our individual donors. Each of you makes a personal com- through lifesaving cutting edge medical technology, mitment, often many times, to the children and youth we or a little diversion like a wish or providing them with serve. We have seen individual gifts increase greatly over a stable, loving home, you can’t ask for more. It’s the past few years. To keep our good work going, the CASA just amazing to me to…hear the tremendous success network and the children we serve rely on these individual stories that you all experience. This relationship is gestures of generosity. Your support shows that our mission very important to us, and we look forward to many, is connecting at the grassroots level. We hope to continue many more years of helping children. to earn your trust. Summer 2007 A publication of the National CASA Association, repre- Voices & Viewpoints senting 946 program offices and 57,938 CASA volunteers Volunteer Voice . inside cover nationwide. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a nationwide From the President .