February Inspirations
CASA Couple Advocates
Advocate Together
Perspectives from CASA Couple Advocates
February is a month filled with love! Dates we will go on, cards we will send, gifts we will shower our loved with!
But an often-overlooked activity that is rewarding and couples can do together: Volunteering. In particular Volunteering with CASA. (Click here for next information session)
Volunteering as an individual CASA Advocate is amazing! Couples who share this experience are rewarded in so many ways! CASA Advocate Volunteers provide hope for children who have been placed in foster care due to child abuse and/or neglect. CASA couples provide not only an extra advocate on a case, but the ability for the child to see two adults working well together, for their best interest. Some of our CASA kids long for the acceptance of an adult in their life, and our couples give them two! CASA currently has 33 couples advocating for these children. 33 couples who split the responsibilities on their case or perhaps support each other while taking on their own case, giving them the ability to double the number of kids they serve. Together they have been able to serve a total of 202 kids since their tenure at CASA.Several of our CASA Advocates couples wanted to share their experiences with you!
Pedro & Laura Hero have with CASA for a little over 5 years. “We can't imagine how difficult it would have been not to be able to share the journey with one another during this pandemic,”
Hero states. Pedro and his wife Laura Hero.
"There is no better way to feel more connected to your spouse than volunteering and providing hope for a child in foster care, together as a team. “We were surprised and filled with joy by the positive feelings and connections that comes from helping children find permanency in a loving and safe home. It is immeasurable. When something positive happens with one of our CASA kids, we both celebrate.”
Chris & Chet Malin have been CASA Advocates for over 2 years.
“We were able to provide both male and female oversight and interaction to the three boys and one girl (ages 7-9). This promoted safety and a higher level of control when attending SeaWorld, the movies, or gender specific events like the Auto-show, a Missions game, or a performance of the ballet “Cinderella. Being on the same case has improved our ability to communicate and compromise (when necessary) to achieve a common goal. We figured out early in the case which of us was best qualified to tackle specific tasks and thus avoid duplicated effort.”
Andrica and Rogers Dickerson have been CASA Advocates for about 3 years. Their favorite part about advocating together is that it “gives us quality time where we can bring happiness and joy to others. We are not discussing work or personal issues, but how we can provide our CASA kids' best service. Advocating as a couple has strengthened our relationship because we see our partner's care and compassion for others. Selflessness, acting without profit or benefit, helps us connect with others, and this feeling carries over to our relationship. The pandemic is emotionally and physically a trying time. We are not connecting with our CASA kids the traditional face-to-face way but virtually through video calls, more text messages and the occasional porch drop-offs. Most importantly we are doing it together.”
We thank all the couples at CASA who help make a difference every day. If you or your spouse/partner are interested in advocating together or maybe you are an advocate who has been trying to convince their spouse/partner, feel free to reach out to our Recruitment and Training department. With two, it is easier to navigate the complexities, the unfamiliar, and the situations where both advocates are out of their comfort zones.
CASA wishes each of our advocates and community a Happy Valentine’s Day and remember, “two sets of eyes and hands are better than one.”
Brennan Holland was assigned to Sarah in December 2022. Sarah entered foster care with a history of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, yet she remains incredibly resilient. Throughout her time in care, she has experienced multiple placements. Brennan quickly learned that Sarah has a strong passion for neuroscience and dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. Determined to pursue her goal, she graduated early from high school and is now enrolled in the College Bound Docket program, attending her school of choice—UTSA. However, the path to achieving her dream has not been without challenges.\ Sarah received a discharge notice from her current placement and was denied Supervised Independent Living (SIL) until she turned 18. It felt as though no one was giving her a real chance. CASA stepped in to advocate for Sarah’s independence, pushing for her to live in a dorm on her own. Not everyone on her team supported this idea due to concerns about her age, limited independent living experience, and fears that she might run away, be influenced by older peers, or engage in risky behavior. CASA, however, continued to stand by Sarah, even offering financial assistance to help her move into a dorm until she became eligible for SIL. At Sarah’s next court hearing on January 24, 2025, her attorney ad litem filed a motion for her to live in a dorm at UTSA. CASA once again advocated for the court to approve this plan. The judge, quoting Brennan’s court report, stated, “Brennan said it correctly: You are going to succeed or fail based on your decisions.” Ultimately, the judge authorized Sarah to live in the dorms on campus and ordered CPS to cover the cost of SIL. CASA recently assisted Sarah in moving into her very first dorm room, and we are excited to see what the future holds for her. Since being placed on campus, she has built a strong network of supportive adults to help her thrive. The impact of CASA facilitating these vital connections is crucial in ensuring that young adults like Sarah have the support they need to successfully transition into adulthood.
Emily White
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