Breaking ground for CASA
A long-awaited project for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of West Texas will be breaking ground Wednesday at 10 a.m. Construction will begin on the new Big Spring location, with construction estimated to last about three months, according to CASA Volunteer Recruitment and Marketing Specialist Hope Stalder.
“In our seven-county service area, Howard County is the second largest county we serve. Our organization provided advocacy to 130 children last year in Howard County alone,” Stalder said.
She continued, “We need a strong presence in this community for these victims. This facility will provide that, along with adequate space so our volunteers and staff can provide quality advocacy for these children who desperately need us.”
CASA received a land donation earlier this year and began fundarising efforts to help fund the project. Over the past few months, several meet-and-greets, participation in Alive After 5s and other campaign awareness events have taken place. Star Dodge has been a big partner in helping raise awareness to this new facility, and the dedication from numerous volunteer and staff members is finally paying off.
“To have a facility in Howard County is an amazing achievement for CASA of West Texas, and for the victims of child abuse and neglect. We are so thrilled to finally break ground,” Stalder said. “We encourage the community to come out and support CASA and youth in foster care.
The groundbreaking ceremony will begin with a blessing and then the first official piece of dirt will be unearthed to begin construction. There will be
light refreshments offered after the ceremony concludes.
“CASA will continue to recruit, train, and support volunteers who advocate for youth in foster care in Howard County. This facility will allow us to enhance our current services to youth and to our volunteers with the hope of recruiting more volunteers, offering additional training at this facility and hosting meetings to better engage family members currently involved in cases,” she said.
Stalder continued, “There are many ways you can support CASA; children are always desperate for more volunteers, and donations are appreciated. Having the community help us spread the word in any way is also always an incredible way to help our organization.” The community is invited to attend the groundbreaking event at the corner of Scurry and 19th.