Help keep kids safe as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, Aug. 20

Give abused and neglected children in Coos County a voice as a CASA advocate! CASA of Coos County is seeking volunteers for an upcoming training in October. CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocates, is a national nonprofit organization that trains and supports volunteers to speak and act as advocates for children in foster care and the child welfare systems. The rights of vulnerable children are being lost in the strained court system. As a result, too many of these abused and neglected children are bounced from house to house in Coos County. As a CASA volunteer, you can help a child be treated with dignity and respect and a chance to live in a safe, loving and permanent home. A child with a CASA volunteer is half as likely to languish in foster care and much more likely to find a safe and permanent home. CASA is committed to ensuring that every child in foster care has a dedicated CASA volunteer assigned to support and advocate for them. To do this, we need to increase the number of volunteers for CASA of Coos County. Currently we have the capacity to advocate for fewer than 50% of the children that are in need of our services. The passion is there, the facts are clear, and the need is dire. CASA of Coos County is offering an opportunity to learn more about how you can help fight child abuse and neglect. After attending an informational meeting, and pre-screening, training will begin. The 30-hour Pre-Service CASA Training is scheduled to commence in October 2015. For more information, please contact the CASA Program Director and Trainer, Laila Dunham, at 541-435-7102, email ldunham@orcca.us . Please join us for any of the informational meetings to learn more about our program. Coffee is on us! Thursday, August 20 – 9:00 – 11:00 AM, ORCCA offices, 1855 Thomas Ave., Coos Bay; Thursday, August 20 – 3:00 – 5:00 PM, ORCCA Offices, 1855 Thomas Ave., Coos Bay; Wednesday, August 26 – 9:30 – 11:30 AM, Brewed Awakenings Coffee Shop, 490 US 101, Bandon; Thursday September 10 – 9:30 – 11:30 AM, Kaffee 101, 171 S. Broadway, Coos Bay; Thursday September 17 – 8:30 – 11:00 AM, Frazier’s Bakery, 23 E 1st St., Coquille; Wednesday September 23 9:30 – 11:30 AM, Brewed Awakenings Coffee Shop, 490 US 101, Bandon. To give a child a CASA volunteer is to give them a voice. To give them a voice is to give them hope, and to give them hope is to give them the world.