What Does Community-Based Care Mean for Dallas CASA Volunteers?
Community-based care is coming to Dallas, but what exactly does that mean for Dallas CASA volunteers and the child victims of abuse and neglect served by the agency’s volunteers? It's part of "foster care re-design," a change being implemented by the Texas Legislature and means changes for children in care, their placements and Dallas CASA volunteers.
Faith Drives Muslim CASA Volunteer
For Ishfaq Ahmad, a faith-based call to love all of God's creation brought him to Dallas CASA. As a Muslim, he also hopes to share with other volunteers how best to serve children in protective care who are Muslim.
Iris Wanted to Be in the Marching Band
For Iris, marching band meant everything. Her band friends saw through the fact she was in foster care to the kind, nurturing girl underneath. Iris' Dallas CASA volunteer Kathryn advocated for Iris to stay in marching band, even through multiple placement changes and a challenging cross-town commute.
Learning with Dallas CASA: Chronic Maltreatment
For many families, their first encounter with the child welfare system is a life-changing one. They receive support services, and the children experience positive and hopefully permanent changes in their home lives. For other families, reports to Child Protective Services (CPS) add up over the years, with reports accumulating and little real change occurring. What can Dallas CASA volunteer do to support families on repeated involvement with the child welfare system?
Two Boys Needed a Break From Chaos
For Bryson and Kason, ages 10 and 11, home life was chaos. They dreamed of the simple summer pleasures of childhood - swimming, backyard games and freedom. When their Dallas CASA volunteer Ashley found a sleepaway camp that would take them for one week, the boys jumped at the chance. Could a week away be the break everyone needed?
Dallas CASA Volunteer Guides Youth Through College Application Process
For Dallas CASA volunteer Dionne Peniston, a college professor, guiding the youth she's serving through the college application process felt like second nature. For him, Dionne's support has been life-changing.
Iris Wanted to Be in the Marching Band
For Iris, marching band meant everything. Her band friends saw through the fact she was in foster care to the kind, nurturing girl underneath. Iris' Dallas CASA volunteer Kathryn advocated for Iris to stay in marching band, even through multiple placement changes and a challenging cross-town commute.
Learning with Dallas CASA: Chronic Maltreatment
For many families, their first encounter with the child welfare system is a life-changing one. They receive support services, and the children experience positive and hopefully permanent changes in their home lives. For other families, reports to Child Protective Services (CPS) add up over the years, with reports accumulating and little real change occurring. What can Dallas CASA volunteer do to support families on repeated involvement with the child welfare system?
Two Boys Needed a Break From Chaos
For Bryson and Kason, ages 10 and 11, home life was chaos. They dreamed of the simple summer pleasures of childhood - swimming, backyard games and freedom. When their Dallas CASA volunteer Ashley found a sleepaway camp that would take them for one week, the boys jumped at the chance. Could a week away be the break everyone needed?
Could Kyle Have Found His Forever Family as an Adult?
For 18-year-old Kyle, childhood had been a series of losses. First, his mother died and his father was unable to parent due to drug addiction. He moved in with his aunt, but then she developed terminal cancer. Foster care had been one placement after another. But something felt different with the Hansons, a couple in their late 20s looking to foster a teenager. Even though he was now legally an adult, could he have found his forever family?
Would a Second Time in Foster Care Bring a Permanent Home for Jake and Josh?
Twins Josh and Jake were born early, addicted to illegal drugs and with lots of medical needs. After a year in a foster home, they were placed with a family member who quickly became overwhelmed by their medical needs. The boys' Dallas CASA volunteer Wathenia was there to recommend the boys be allowed to return to the home where they'd been for a year.
Where Could Caden Safely Grow Up?
Caden's mother was unable to care for him due to severe mental illness, but lots of other people were willing to step up. For his Dallas CASA volunteer Megan, the question was "What was in Caden's best interest?"
Dallas CASA Thanks You!
By Mindy Baxter|2017-04-18T13:20:50-05:00April 18, 2017|Categories: Community, Events & Supporters, Volunteers|0 Comments
Were you at the Cherish the Children luncheon April 5? If so, we need to thank you. What an amazing day supporting vulnerable children in our city!
Casey Gerald to Speak at Dallas CASA’s Cherish the Children
By Mindy Baxter|2017-03-06T12:51:47-06:00March 6, 2017|Categories: Community, Events & Supporters|0 Comments
Dallas CASA's Cherish the Children luncheon speaker's story starts in Oak Cliff, travels through a chaotic childhood and all the way to Yale and Harvard.
CASA Day at the Capitol Draws Attention to Child Welfare
By Mindy Baxter|2017-03-07T10:09:59-06:00February 28, 2017|Categories: Children, Community|0 Comments
CASA Day at the Capitol brought CASA programs across Texas together to talk to lawmakers about helping children in foster care.
Thank you, Dallas CASA Angel Tree supporters!
By Mindy Baxter|2017-02-06T13:33:49-06:00January 24, 2017|Categories: Children, Community, Events & Supporters|0 Comments
Thank you to our Dallas CASA 2016 Angel Tree supporters, who made sure Christmas came for children living in foster care.
Rodney and Kendrick Have a Home for the Holidays
By Mindy Baxter|2016-11-28T12:55:36-06:00November 28, 2016|Categories: Children, Community, Uncategorized|0 Comments
Rodney tested positive for drugs at birth like his brother Kendrick had four years before. And just like she had done four years earlier, Rodney’s grandmother opened her heart and her home to another innocent little boy with a rough start to life.
Alicia Needed Help to Grow
By Mindy Baxter|2016-10-24T13:56:03-05:00October 24, 2016|Categories: Children, Community, Volunteers|0 Comments
Two-year-old Alicia was not growing, and Child Protective Services had to become involved. Alicia had advocate Bernadette by her side.
Dallas CASA Will Honor Cynthia Izaguirre
Dallas CASA will honor Cynthia Izaguirre, longtime host of WFAA's Wednesday's Child, with the Cherish the Children Award at a luncheon May 6.
CASAblanca Sponsor Brings Passion for Adoption to the Party
When a staff member approached The Parvin Group’s Chief Operations Officer Sara Escamilla about sponsoring Dallas CASA’s CASAblanca, her answer was a quick yes. It was the same answer Escamilla gave to Child Protective Services when they called almost a decade ago about a group of three siblings who needed a permanent home.
Father Gregory Boyle Speaks with Dallas CASA
Father Gregory Boyle shares wisdom with Dallas CASA ahead of the Cherish the Children event May 14.
Dallas CASA Named Crystal Charity Ball Beneficiary
Dallas CASA has been named one of eight beneficiaries of the 2021 Crystal Charity Ball.
Parade of Playhouses House Honors Autism Awareness
When Kimley-Horn sat down to dream up a playhouse for Dallas CASA’s 2019 Parade of Playhouses, they kept coming back to a theme: inclusion and unity.
Students Build for Dallas CASA’s Parade of Playhouses
Students from Irving's MacArthur High School are helping build one of the playhouses for Dallas CASA's Parade of Playhouses event.
Dallas CASA Names DEI Director
Dallas CASA names Shashaunda Williams director of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Together, you and Dallas CASA can change children’s lives
Devin's story started with his mother abandoning him, placing him [...]
Addressing Frequently Asked Questions about the state of CPS and the status of the Texas Foster Care Lawsuit
Frequently asked questions about problems Child Protective Services is experiencing and the pending Texas foster care lawsuit
Dallas CASA Board Member Cynt Marshall Tells Her Story
Dallas CASA board member Cynt Marshall tells what CASA means to her.
“We are the grownups, and it falls to us, it is all of our responsibility” to protect children, said Dallas CASA CEO Kathleen LaValle.
Picture your own child or one you care about. [...]
Number of Confirmed Child Abuse Victims in Dallas County Increased Last Year
The number of Dallas County children confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect increased a dramatic 37.6% in 2017.
Dallas CASA’s Parade of Playhouses under construction!
Dallas CASA playhouses are under construction.
Join us as we talk about help for abused children on Dallas CASA’s new blog
Welcome to Dallas CASA’s brand-new blog! In the coming weeks, we hope this blog becomes a place of learning, conversation and community on a critical issue in our community: how to help abused children.
“We are the grownups, and it falls to us, it is all of our responsibility” to protect children, said Dallas CASA CEO Kathleen LaValle.
Picture your own child or one you care about. [...]
How to Help Victims of Child Abuse
NBC DFW - Dallas CASA Supervisor Gabriela Valadez talks with [...]
Children sleeping in CPS offices prohibited under new Texas law
Fox 4 News: Dallas CASA CEO Kathleen LaValle discusses a [...]
Dallas CASA’s 26th annual Parade of Playhouses returns to NorthPark
MySweetCharity: Dallas CASA’s 26th annual Parade of Playhouses will return [...]
This Isn’t Your Typical Playhouse
DCEO Magazine: Maria Lawson talks with an emerging team of [...]
Dallas Mavericks committed to Dallas CASA
Dallas Mavericks: Tamara Jolee writes, May is National Foster Care [...]
What Does Community-Based Care Mean for Dallas CASA Volunteers?
Community-based care is coming to Dallas, but what exactly does that mean for Dallas CASA volunteers and the child victims of abuse and neglect served by the agency’s volunteers? It's part of "foster care re-design," a change being implemented by the Texas Legislature and means changes for children in care, their placements and Dallas CASA volunteers.
Faith Drives Muslim CASA Volunteer
For Ishfaq Ahmad, a faith-based call to love all of God's creation brought him to Dallas CASA. As a Muslim, he also hopes to share with other volunteers how best to serve children in protective care who are Muslim.
Dallas CASA Volunteer Guides Youth Through College Application Process
For Dallas CASA volunteer Dionne Peniston, a college professor, guiding the youth she's serving through the college application process felt like second nature. For him, Dionne's support has been life-changing.
New Dallas CASA Volunteer Carries on Three Generations of Tradition
Young Dallas CASA volunteer Claire Arnold is following in the steps of her mother Jannah Nerren and her grandmother Brenda Walters, who both serve as CASA volunteers for CASA of the Pines in East Texas. “Growing up, I saw my mom putting in the time and effort into being a good advocate for the children she served,” Claire said. “I knew once I got settled after graduating college, it was something I wanted to do.”
For Dallas CASA Volunteer, Representation Matters
For Dallas CASA volunteer Veronica Redmon, the journey to volunteering started with the example set by her grandmother. Today, she's setting an example herself by volunteering as a child advocate. She hopes the children she's serving see that and know how much they have to offer the world, too.
Father-Daughter Duo Volunteers Together at Dallas CASA
Father and daughter Jim and Annie Urbanus signed up to become Dallas CASA volunteers a few weeks apart. When they discovered the shared interest, they decided to share cases as well. It's been a win-win for their relationship as well as for the children they serve. “I think I am the details person, while he’s the feelings guy,” said Annie. “I’ve got all the nuts and bolts, and he’s the relationship-builder. We make a great team.”