About CASA
Our Mission
CASA of River Valley’s mission is to draw from community resources to provide and support advocates, whose goal is to reduce the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social impacts of abuse and neglect experienced by children involved in the Will and Grundy County Judicial Systems due to no fault of their own. We do this by recruiting and training volunteers to act as the voice of the child, provide needed information to the court, and work toward a more restorative juvenile court process.
Who We Are
The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program originated in Seattle, Wash., in 1977 by Judge David Soukup, the presiding judge of King County Superior Court. He was troubled by the small amount of time and information he was given to make decisions destined to change the lives of children who have experienced abuse and neglect. CASA serves as the only organization in the community that trains volunteers to be Guardians ad Litem. The court appoints these volunteers to advocate for the child’s best interest, with the goal to “Change a Child’s Story.™”
In Will and Grundy Counties, hundreds of children enter the Juvenile Justice Systems every year due to abuse and neglect. CASA of River Valley helps these children recover from the traumas they’ve endured and find safe, permanent, loving homes where they can prosper. They stay with each child until his/her case is closed and the child is placed into a safe, permanent home with hope for a positive future.
Since 1994, CASA has served over 3,000 children. Currently CASA is able to serve 79% of children in need. With your help, we can reach our goal of serving 100% of the abused and neglected children in need of a CASA volunteer.
Who We Serve
More than 90 percent of the children we serve come from low income families. But whatever their background, every child entering the court system needs representation.
We devote countless hours to making a profound impact on these children, leading to many positive stories of reuniting with family members or finding their way out of abusive homes. In cooperation with our volunteers, partners and the community, CASA of River Valley also achieves the following results for our children:
- More than 300 children in Will and Grundy Counties receive representation from a CASA each year
- Children with CASAs spend an average of eight months fewer in foster care than those without representation
- The children we serve are also less likely to re-enter the foster care system
Impact begins with you
What We Do
In addition to the representation our CASAs provide in court, our organization helps the abused and neglected children of Will and Grundy Counties overcome traumas affecting their development through a multi-faceted approach.
How to Help
CASA of River Valley relies on community support to fulfill its mission. With as little as $1,000 per child per year we can provide the advocacy services that will positively alter a child’s future. Your gift leads to hope and encouragement for the child navigating the court system.
CASA of River Valley
3200 McDonough Street
Joliet, IL 60431
815.730.7072
© CASA of River Valley All rights reserved.
Site by Paul Gregory Media
CASA of River Valley is a United Way agency, a recipient of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and a member of the National CASA Association. CASA of River Valley is an Equal Opportunity Organization.
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