Together, you and Dallas CASA can change children’s lives

Devin’s story started with his mother abandoning him, placing him in the child welfare system at age eight. Then family members who agreed to care for Devin mistreated him, withholding food and forcing him to sleep on the floor with no bedding. By age 14, an untrusting Devin decided that if adults in his life could not treat him right he would just age out of foster care alone.

But then he met his CASA volunteer Jesse and his story changed. For the past three years, Devin has had Jesse walking alongside him, through high school, first jobs and the challenges of being a teenage boy.

They bonded over paintball, superhero movies, a shared love of sports and food. Jesse cheered Devin on at his high school football games and encouraged him to focus on good grades more than girls. Jesse started talking to Devin about college, showing him how to calculate a GPA and sharing the importance of setting goals and making time to study. When it came time, Jesse cheered him on at his high school graduation.

This fall Devin aged out of foster care and headed off to Blinn College with plans to transfer to Texas A&M University. He maintains a friendship with Jesse who took Devin and his friends to a final guys’ lunch the day he left for college. They still talk and text frequently.

A 30-year-old professional, Jesse says his advocacy for Devin has changed his life.

“I entered into the CASA program as an advocate hoping to make an impact on a young person’s life. Never could I have imagined the impact he would make on mine.” – Jesse

Dallas CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the court for children living in protective care. Today nearly 2,500 Dallas children live in foster care. Three out of four of them have CASA volunteers by their sides, but there are so many who still need an advocate.

Devin needed a new story to tell, and with Jesse’s help he’s writing the next chapter.
Won’t you help children like Devin rewrite their stories?

For more information please contact Sharon Balaban at 469-547-9455 or sbalaban@dallascasa.org.

Thank you for helping children like Devin.