CASA donations will help abused and neglected children
Volunteers deliver donated items when they visit a child in foster care.
The Montgomery
County CASA program is dedicated to the principle that every child is entitled to have a permanent home and family and to be free from abuse and neglect. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate.
Through the program, court-appointed volunteers watch over and advocate for these children as they endure tumultuous times in their lives.
For many children, their CASA volunteer will be a constant adult presence, advocating on the child’s behalf to achieve a permanent living situation.
“The CASA program is built upon the backs of countless volunteers who have selflessly worked to bring positive change to the lives of these vulnerable children,” says CASA program manager Jane Novick. “CASA volunteers have helped approximately 12,500 children and 6,300 families in Montgomery County since the program was established in 1988.”
Novick says the fact that they’re unable to make visits the same way they could in the pre-COVID world hasn’t stopped volunteers from finding creative ways to stay in contact with the children . “CASAs have gone to the home where the child is residing and visit while social distancing is maintained,” she explains. “These visits may be just outside the home. Some visits are conducted by video chat and phone calls. Children still may maintain contact with their CASA and the CASA can still check upon the safety of the child and that the child is still receiving all necessary services. Of course this is still not the same as pre-COVID, but it still keeps the CASA in the
child’s life.”
What does a CASA volunteer do?
Novick says the CASA volunteer gets to know the child by talking with everyone in that child’s life: parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers and others. “They use the information they gather to inform judges and others of what the child needs and what will be the best permanent home,” Novick explains. “Each volunteer is typically assigned from one to three cases at any given time. Many of these children have experienced trauma in their lives — incarceration of a parent, death of a parent, physical and/or sexual abuse, and many other things.”
When a child is removed from the home and placed in foster care, the child will typically have a plastic bag in which to take a few personal items. The CASA volunteer will bring donated items — such as clothing and toiletries — when they visit the child.
“These items help to encourage a bond between the child and CASA volunteer; hopefully, the act of giving these items to the child helps to mitigate the ill effects of the trauma,” Novick adds. “Foster youth of all ages express the importance of receiving these items, as it shows that someone cares about them and understands that they need the comfort of a blanket or stuffed animal or basics such as toiletries.”
What they need for boys and girls ages birth to 18 years:
■ Jackets and coats for all seasons
■ Sweaters
■ Hats, gloves and scarves
■ Stuffed animals
■ Blankets
■ Tote bags, duffle bags, backpacks
■ School supplies
■ Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, women’s hygiene products and skin lotion
■ Books
“Please note that due to COVID-19 we can only accept donated items that are new,” says Novick.
Items can be dropped off at the CASA office (located in the Montgomery County Juvenile Court, 380 W. Second St., Dayton, OH 45422) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you would like items to be picked up, please contact Jane Novick at
(937) 225-5492 or jnovick@ mcjcohio.org.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA volunteer, please contact Jane Novick. No previous experience is necessary; CASA will train you.
For more information: www.casamc.com and Montgomery County Juvenile Court CASA Program’s Facebook page.
Contact this contributing writer at Meredith.Moss@ coxinc.com.