April Advocate Spotlight

Sandy Shores

Advocate: Joseph Zlotkowski

1. How long have you been an Advocate and when did you realize you wanted to become one? 


I have been an advocate for 4.5 years. I first heard about CASA in the mid-nineties and I loved the concept of children in crisis having an advocate, At the time I was just starting my career in the military and could not commit to being able to follow through with a case. Fast forward 20 years, I retired from the military and signed up to volunteer. 



2. What is the most rewarding aspect of being an Advocate? 


The most rewarding aspect of being an advocate for me is working within the system to ensure the child/children get all of their physical and emotional needs identified and met while in foster care. Obtaining medical records to ensure the providers’ referrals are being followed. Verifying the child is receiving all recommended therapies and treatments for them to meet physical, emotional, and developmental milestones. I love visiting the children monthly and seeing how they are meeting and exceeding the goals set by their therapists. It is also very rewarding when a case is completed, and everyone is in agreement that the best interests of the child have been met.       


3. If you could offer some words of encouragement to your fellow and incoming Advocates, what would they be?


Have patience, don’t give up, and document, document, document! The system sometimes seems to work very slowly and terminating parental rights should never be taken lightly, that being said it can get frustrating when you don't see progress being made in the court system. I have been very fortunate to work with excellent case workers and foster parents who have kept me in the loop through phone calls and text messages when there have been changes in the case and keeping updated on doctor appointments and progress in therapies. I keep all text messages and summarize them in my monthly visitation report. If it is something out of the ordinary, like a child being removed from placement or medical incident, I notify my CASA supervisor, child’s attorney and case worker via email in addition to documenting in Optima. This helps me to write a comprehensive and concise court report. 

Community Partnership Spotlight: Stronger Together for Children and Youth - Jogs with Jesus

By bfines • March 23, 2026
At CASA, our goal is to serve 100% of the children and families in need experiencing foster care and strong community partnerships help make that possible.

Story of Hope: Staff Advocate JoAnn

By bfines • March 9, 2026
In March 2025, Child Protective Services removed four young children, just 7, 4, 2, and 3 months old, from their mother’s care. This difficult step followed ongoing concerns about neglect, largely connected to the mother’s struggle with substance use, even during her most recent pregnancy. Although CPS offered support through Family Based Safety Services, the mother was unable to engage in the help provided. The children’s father was also unable to support them due to his own substance abuse and his incarceration in Bexar County Jail. Before removal, the children’s basic medical and educational needs were going unmet. They had been moved repeatedly between their mother and other relatives, leaving them without the stability, routine, and nurturing supervision every child deserves.  When CASA Staff Advocate, JoAnn Herring, was assigned the case in April 2025, she immediately reached out to both kinship caregivers to understand the children’s needs and how to best support the families stepping in to care for them. JoAnn quickly learned that the paternal grandmother, who lovingly took in some of the children, was struggling financially and facing barriers due to limited English proficiency. To ensure she wasn’t facing these challenges alone, JoAnn submitted a CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) referral and personally provided translation support so the grandmother could access services with dignity and understanding. Throughout the case, JoAnn has witnessed moments where cultural sensitivity was lacking, and personal biases influenced important decisions; often at the expense of what was best for the children. Despite these obstacles, she continues to advocate steadfastly and compassionately for the children to remain with the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to provide safety, consistency, and love. Although the case is not yet over, Joann’s story demonstrates that CASA’s advocacy reaches beyond the children themselves, strengthening the village of care and support surrounding them, because CASA wants children to be safe, to thrive, and to have their overall well-being protected.
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