Thank you for your interest in learning more about how you can Change a Child’s Story™ by becoming a CASA/GAL volunteer. Our network of 939 state organizations and local programs train, and support volunteers, so they can provide best-interest advocacy to the children we serve.
National CASA/GAL Association is honored to participate as a recipient of The New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof’s “2020 Holiday Impact Prize” recommendations to help raise the profiles of organizations that work on issues that change their communities. This year, we have been identified as one of the organizations for which he encourages his readers to volunteer.
“The value of a CASA/GAL volunteer cannot be overstated. We often hear from children that these highly-trained volunteers are the only consistent adult in their life. CASA/GAL volunteers make a life-changing difference for children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are often in the foster care system,” says Tara Lisa Perry, CEO of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children.
“I am humbled by their dedication to the children and families we serve. Hundreds of thousands of children have a volunteer by their side, but more volunteers are needed in every community across the country to advocate for the best interests of these children.”
Court Appointed Special Advocate® (CASA) and guardian ad litem (GAL) volunteers advocate on behalf of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. CASA/GAL volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for children’s best interests. They stay with each case until it is closed and the child is in a safe, permanent home.
“Kids in the foster care system are some of the most vulnerable and neglected people in America. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) trains volunteer advocates to ensure that every child’s voice is heard. These children need help, and in your free time you can change the trajectory of a child’s life.” – Nicholas Kristof, New York Times Op-Ed Columnist
Read Kristof’s Holiday Impact Prize gift guide in The New York Times.