Amanda Kasper Osowski first learned about National CASA/GAL as a first-year member of Theta’s Beta Kappa Chapter at Drake University. Throughout her college career, she raised money for and awareness about child abuse and neglect on campus and in the community—but all the while, she was waiting until she was old enough to become a CASA volunteer herself.
“In retrospect, having to wait makes complete sense,” Amanda says. “The emotional weight of advocating for children and families in the foster care system is significant, and the age requirement supports advocates in ensuring they are ready to bear that burden.”
As the youngest person in her CASA volunteer training class of 18, Amanda says she often felt small, but she also felt she was in exactly the right place. She spent seven years working on active cases as a child advocate with CASA of Lake County (Illinois). “My age may have made me an unlikely success story, but I’m so honored for the opportunity to have shown up and proven that age is sometimes just a number.”
Today, Amanda is an infertility and postpartum doula and patient advocate; she credits her involvement in Theta and a CASA program for leading her to this profession. “Their principles have served as the foundation of my work as a doula, advocating for aspiring and new parents in any way I am able.”
She and her husband have talked about working together as CASA volunteers in the future, and she looks forward to continuing her connection with CASA programs.
“To me, Theta stands for community—and family. CASA programs work to make sure that no child is without community, and that families have the best chance at reuniting.”