Training Begins July 21 through July 23

Sonoma County CASA is seeking volunteers to become youth advocates and mentors for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes by the child welfare system for protective services.

CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, provides adult mentors to nearly 130 children who need a special friend and advocate to support them and to provide a consistent presence in the sometimes lonely and scary world of foster homes, court rooms and counselors’ offices.

Juvenile court officials have identified 37 additional youngsters who need mentors and CASA is appealing to Sonoma County residents to volunteer.

”These kids need a CASA mentor to provide some consistent and personal support as they go through months and sometimes years of legal procedures and face a revolving group of people, including foster parents, counselors, investigators, judges and lawyers,” said Millie Gilson, executive director of CASA. “CASA volunteers provide the human contact the kids need and the adult experience and savvy the court needs to make better decisions for these kids.”

Gilson said volunteers are asked to spend a minimum of 10 to 12 hours a month with their CASA youngster.

She said CASA currently has about 130 volunteers, and she hopes to recruit another 30 with the next training.

The next training runs July 21 through July 23 for a total of three full days. Classes are held at CASA’s office at the Los Guilicos complex near Oakmont in Santa Rosa.

For more information, contact Gilson at 707-565-6375. 

Millie Gilson

Executive Director

CASA- Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children
P.O. Box 1418
Kenwood, CA 95452
707.565.6375
707.565.6379 (fax)
Email: tccasa@sonomacasa.org

Web: http://www.sonomacasa.org