CASA Looks for Volunteers, Readies for Fundraiser

A regional organization that helps children in foster care is calling for more volunteers.

Northeast Georgia Court-Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, serves Stephens, Rabun, Habersham, Franklin, Hart, Elbert, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties.

Director Melissa Mitchell said that volunteers with Northeast Georgia CASA represent children in foster care in the court system.

“They need someone to speak up for them and make sure that their best interests are met and all their needs are taken care of while they are in foster care, so we train volunteers and that is what the volunteers do is they speak up and they advocate for those children,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell said that work involves appearing on behalf of the child in court, writing reports, and working with the Department of Family and Children’s Services.

She said right now, more CASA’s are needed in both Stephens County and throughout northeast Georgia.

“Right now as we speak in Stephens County, there are about 19 children who are in foster care and we have CASA’s assigned to about 12 of those children,” said Mitchell. “We serve eight counties. In a year’s time, there are about 310 children in foster care in our eight-county area and right now, we serve about 270 of those children.”

Mitchell said that volunteers for CASA receive extensive training through both classroom work and courtroom observation.

She went on to say that training classes take place every few months, so anyone interested should fill out an application.

Meanwhile, May is also a big fundraising month for Northeast Georgia CASA.

On May 24, CASA will host its annual fundraiser golf tournament at the Orchard in Habersham County.

Northeast Georgia CASA Past Board Member and Golf Tournament Chair Al Greene said it is one of the organization’s major fundraisers.

“We normally net out of the tournament for CASA somewhere between $12,000 and $15,000,” said Greene. “We have a tremendous backing from the citizens in all of our counties.”

Greene said that CASA receives tremendous support each year for the golf tournament and the organization appreciates that support each year.

For more information on either Northeast Georgia CASA or its golf tournament later this month, call 706-886-1098 or go online to www.northeastgacasa.org.