CASA of Galveston County receives national grant to improve support to Galveston County children impacted by the child welfare system
(Texas City, Texas) –CASA of Galveston County has been awarded a $60,000 Grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association. CASA of Galveston County recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who are involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect. Volunteer advocates are trained to support children through regular visits, information gathering, court reporting and continuous case monitoring until the child/youth has a permanent home, preferably with their family of origin whenever safely possible.
The National CASA/GAL Grant will enable CASA of Galveston County to focus on investing in our recruitment of volunteers, marketing, and volunteer coaching to activate additional volunteers for service.
“As we navigate the transition of legacy foster care to Community Based Care, CASA of Galveston County, must continue to bring committed community members to invest their time and talent to serve children in our community who are navigating child protection and court systems and we must communicate with our community in a variety of ways to bring them into our very critical and crucial mission. This investment by National CASA/GAL and OJJDP will increase our resources in recruitment, volunteer supervision, and marketing/communications. We are grateful for this partnership,” said Connie Ricketts, Chief Executive Officer of CASA of Galveston County.
There are 939 CASA/GAL state organizations and local programs operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided under the OJJDP FY24 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Training, Technical Assistance, and Subgrants Program (CFDA #16.756) to manage a national grant awards program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) primarily for the purpose of increasing the number Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers to advocate for the best interest of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are the subject of civil court child abuse and neglect proceedings. National CASA/GAL administers the grants program under a cooperative agreement with OJJDP which is authorized pursuant to the Victims of Child Abuse Act, 34 USC §20323.
Change a Child’s Story
CASA of Galveston County is dedicated to recruiting, training and supervising community members to advocate for children experiencing foster care. Volunteer advocates are the consistent presence in these children’s lives when they need it the most.
To learn more visit casagalveston.org
About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association
The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association, together with its 941 state and local program members, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who is involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to advocate for children/youth and to strengthen and support families. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org.
