Since 2014, Dallas CASA and Angel Flight have partnered to provide airplane flights for our volunteers to visit their CASA children placed in faraway destinations. The unique collaboration between the two nonprofits won a Promising Practices Spotlight Award from National CASA.

But what does this mean practically for our kids? Here are three stories of how Angel Flight saved the day for Dallas CASA:

Daisy Needed Supportive Adults

Daisy, 17, had been in and out of Child Protective Services care since she was four months old. When a family friend who cared for Daisy died last year, there was literally nowhere left for Daisy to go. Child Protective Services moved Daisy to a center in Houston where she could graduate from high school and prepare for life on her own.

Daisy’s CASA volunteer, Sydney, knew that aging out of foster care would be hard for Daisy without family members to support or encourage her. When CPS scheduled a “Circle of Support” meeting for Daisy, which would allow her to carefully think through her plans for the future, Sydney knew it was critical for her to be there. But with Daisy placed in Houston, a full-time job and family of her own, Sydney wasn’t sure how she could get there. Angel Flight saved the day.

“Admittedly I was mildly afraid to get on such a small place,” Sydney said of her trip to Houston and back. “But I decided I could try it once and embrace my fear for the sake of a child who had endured so much, one who didn’t have the choice to embrace fear and uncertainty.”

Sydney met her pilot at the airport the morning of the Circle of Support meeting. They flew to Houston, Sydney attended Daisy’s meeting and then flew back to Dallas in the time Sydney usually spends in the office. “My own family didn’t miss a moment with me, and I got to spend four hours with a young girl who has no family and desperately needs to know she is loved.”

Bonnie Needed One Person to Care

Bonnie grew up in her grandmother’s care. But when Bonnie was 13, her grandmother died and Bonnie went to live with her uncle. Six months later, Bonnie’s uncle called Child Protective Services to let them know he could no longer deal with her behavior. She was getting in fights at school. She was caught with marijuana in her backpack. And she’d become sexually active.

Still grieving her grandmother’s death, Bonnie felt that everyone she knew was abandoning her. When CPS moved her to a treatment center, a five-hour drive from Dallas, she was despondent.

But Bonnie’s Dallas CASA volunteer, Jenny, had not forgotten about her. They’d visited in Dallas before her move and continued to connect by phone after the move. Jenny knew Bonnie needed to know how much she cared. With the help of the Angel Flight program, Jenny flew to Bonnie’s treatment center. Bonnie was stunned someone came for her. Angel Flight saved the day.

“Jenny, I can’t believe you came for me!” she cried when she saw Jenny, who’d brought a suitcase of clothes for Bonnie. The two visited about school, good choices and what Bonnie wanted from life.

Bonnie is in twice-weekly grief counseling now, and she’s received several more Angel Flight visits from Jenny. She makes good grades and has begun to have supervised phone calls with her grandfather. Moving forward was easier for her knowing someone cares enough to come see her.

Elena Needed Psychiatric Care

Elena, 13, was removed from home after Child Protective Services discovered her and her six siblings living in a drug house their mother was running. Elena and her siblings were placed in a foster to adopt home, but Elena, struggling with guilt and still clinging to the hope her mother might get sober, declined to be adopted with her siblings. Soon after, Elena revealed in counseling she’d been sexually abused by drug buyers in her prior home. Revisiting the trauma caused Elena to slip into psychiatric crisis. She tried to commit suicide. Elena needed significant mental health treatment and was moved to a treatment center several hours away.

Elena’s CASA volunteer Karen knew she was struggling being far from home.

“She’s just an amazing young lady with what it takes to overcome her past,” Karen said. “She’s been through more than any child should ever have to go through, but from the get go I saw something in this young lady that was so resilient, so willing to talk and be open. She moved me.”

Angel Flight has saved the day again and again for Elena. Karen has visited Elena several times using Angel Flight. She’s been Elena’s only visitor at the treatment center.

Much to Karen’s delight Elena has blossomed at her treatment center, making good grades, running 5K races and earning special privileges. Elena calls Karen to share news of her successes and progress in treatment.

Karen, like no one Elena has ever know before, always answers.