OUR MISSION
We train and support dedicated community volunteers who serve to protect the rights of children who have experienced abuse and neglect, ensuring they find a safe and permanent home.
Change
a
Child's
Story
❤️
Change a Child's Story ❤️
WHO WE ARE
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Illinois Valley is a non-profit organization which advocates for the best interests of Children who are in the La Salle & Bureau County court systems as the result of having experienced abuse & neglect. You don’t have to donate money to make a big impact. By becoming a CASA volunteer, you can show up and support a young person while they are experiencing some of the worst moments of their life.
OUR VISION
We listen first. Then we act.
Our volunteers get to know the child by talking with everyone in that child's life: parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers and others. We use the information we gather to help judges and others understand what the child needs and to help the child find a safe, permanent home.
You can.
You don't have to be a lawyer or a social worker to be a volunteer. We welcome people from all walks of life, who care about children and wish to speak up for them. As a volunteer, you will be thoroughly trained and well-supported by professional staff, who will help you through each case.
WHO CAN VOLUNTEER
Be a Voice of Hope
The Power of a Caring Adult
Children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect are among the most vulnerable populations in America. A child in foster care may have faced physical, psychological or emotional trauma and years of uncertainty as they wait to go home, be adopted or simply see what happens next. All that chaos has long-term effects. Young people who have spent time in foster care are more likely to face incarceration, homelessness and unemployment. They are less likely to graduate high school and more likely to be victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
Having a caring, consistent adult to listen and put a child’s best interests before all others’ can make all the difference.
CASA volunteers are there to change lives at the most challenging time in a child’s life, and they do. Multiple studies have shown that children who have experienced abuse or neglect fare better with a CASA volunteer by their side.
OUR PARTNERS
