Voices for Children, Inc., CASA is calling the forces of good to come together this summer at the sixth annual Superhero Fun Run on Saturday, June 12, at the Lake Walk Town Center. This event benefits Voices for Children by providing the necessary funding to advocate for local children in the community who have suffered from abuse and neglect.
The Superhero Fun Run will include a family fun run, food trucks, face painting, bounce houses, a costume contest, and much more! Register for the Superhero Fun Run at vfcbrazos.org/superhero. Suit up in whatever suits you - whether it’s your favorite superhero or villain costume.
Voices for Children served more than 500 children in 2020. CASA volunteers, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are everyday people from all walks of life who are recruited and specially trained to advocate for children living in foster care. CASAs provide a consistent, healthy adult for children during a difficult time in their life.
“Our volunteers and community members are the real heroes,” says Kimberly Martinez, executive director of Voices for Children, CASA. “Foster care is a temporary solution to what we hope are temporary problems. We help create long-term support networks that work to care for families, make reunification a possibility, and help break the cycle for the next generation.”
CASA volunteers are assigned to one child, or sibling group, to advocate for their best interest in court, in school and in other settings. Advocates get to know the child and everyone involved in their life — such as family members, foster parents, therapists, caseworkers, and teachers — in order to develop a realistic picture of the child’s unique situation. They engage those who are important to the child and family in order to build a network of support around the children, so that the family has access to support and resources after the case ends. CASAs make recommendations to a judge who is overseeing the child’s case, with the goal of ensuring that the child is safe and the family has the resources, support and healthy relationships needed to heal.
“There is always a need for more CASAs,” says Lester. “By becoming a volunteer, you can take your efforts beyond just awareness, and do your part to help support children and families in crisis right here in our community.”
“We at Voices For Children, CASA always strive for all children to grow up safe, secure and supported with their families,” says Martinez. “Until then, we continue to seek more heroes in our community to join our growing movement, so that we can provide a CASA for every child who needs one.”
Learn more about becoming a CASA at the next two information sessions on Tuesday, April 27, at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, May 6, at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Voices For Children website at vfcbrazos.org, call (979) 822-9700, or visit BecomeACASA.org.
