Texas CASA volunteer leads company support to benefit the children served by Kentucky CASA programs in Western Kentucky

On December 10, tornadoes and storms devastated parts of western Kentucky. One of the hardest hit areas included Mayfield, the home of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Graves County and Southwest KY. The CASA office and courthouse were destroyed, and several volunteers’ houses and CASA children’s biological families’ houses were significantly impacted. After seeing this devastation, the CASA community came together to support the programs, volunteers and children impacted by the storms. That community included CASA volunteer Vincent Velasquez.

Upon arriving in Mayfield shortly after the tornadoes hit, as part of his professional job with Cotton Holdings, CASA volunteer Mr. Velasquez, a volunteer with Child Advocates, Inc. in Harris County, Texas saw the devastation firsthand. He quickly began an effort to provide direct assistance to his CASA counterparts that were impacted. Mr. Velasquez contacted the Harris County Office to connect with the Kentucky CASA Network and the local programs to offer the assistance of the Cotton Foundation, the charitable arm of his employer. Within four days of arriving in Mayfield, Mr. Velasquez worked with the Foundation and the local CASA programs to purchase and deliver over $13,000 worth of new toys and clothing for CASA children in Western Kentucky impacted by the storms.

These gifts directly benefited CASA of Graves and Southwest Kentucky and six other CASA programs who were able to deliver them to CASA children in 13 of Kentucky’s most impacted counties. Mr. Velasquez’ quick thinking, compassion and dedication, even beyond his own program and state, truly personifies the CASA mission – demonstrating the impact that one caring adult can have on improving the lives of abused or neglected children.