zcare donation: learn more about CASA FOR KIDSZCARE DONATION: LEARN MORE ABOUT CASA FOR KIDS

CASA for Kids volunteers advocate for a child in need of protection from abuse/neglect as a court appointed adult who ensures each child has a voice.

Executive Director Anne Gordon joined the Morning Buzz to talk about why this work is so important and what you can do to support:

With the help of our sponsors, Optical Fashions and River Valley Remodelers, Zcare is proud to made a donation to support CASA For Kids’ work in our community.

Your support and contributions will enable CASA For Kids to meet their goals and fund their mission. They have a match challenge for $15,000! Click on “donate,” about halfway down the page, HERE to donate and help them meet this match goal for 2024!

They are also in need of community support and investment in their work. Volunteering time, empathy, compassion, and skills. They are also in need of child advocates. If you’re able, the requirements are to be at least 21 years of age, pass a background check/references, and complete 30 hours of CASA training (in-person, online, or hybrid). You’ll then swear an oath in court to become an officer of the court.

Their mission is to promote the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases by providing court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteers in care and protection proceedings under Chapter 48 of the Wisconsin State Statutes.

The CASA for Kids Program serves children ages birth to 18 in La Crosse, Vernon and Monroe Counties who have been determined by the court to be Children in Need of Protection or Services. CASA for Kids is automatically assigned to the case. The CASA for Kids volunteer is an invested and vetted community
member who is appointed as an Officer of the Court and assigned to a child under the court’s
jurisdiction to provide information regarding the welfare and best interests of that child.
A CASA volunteer is not only court-appointed, but a trained and committed adult who ensures
that each child’s individual needs and their safety remain priorities in our over-burdened child welfare system. A CASA volunteer maintains a positive and consistent presence while supporting and encouraging them. They also gather information from everyone involved in the child’s life, in order to make independent and informed recommendations to assist the judge’s decision on what is best for the child. A CASA volunteer is more than a volunteer, they are an advocate and the voice for a child in
need of protection.