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.

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.

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.

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 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.