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What is CASA?

Court Appointed Special Advocates® (CASAs) are community volunteers, just like you, who speak up for abused and/or neglected children.

Our CASA program belongs to a network of nearly 950 community-based programs that recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and/or neglected children in courtrooms and communities.

  • Children in care in Washoe County on an average day 2023
    Children in care in Washoe County on an average day 2023

    660

  • Children served by CASA volunteers in 2023
    Children served by CASA volunteers in 2023

    100

  • Estimated volunteer hours in 2023 (in-kind value over $50K)
    Estimated volunteer hours in 2023 (in-kind value over $50K)

    2040

  • You can be the ONE we need!
    You can be the ONE we need!

    1


News & Notes

Poverty Learning Series Webinar and Book Club Registration

The Poverty Learning Series is a robust and well-rounded learning experience, available for CASA/GAL staff and volunteers, to become more knowledgeable on the relationship between poverty and child abuse and neglect, and the resources available to the children and families we serve. The series features a number of resources and learning opportunities for staff and volunteers that will be rolled out over the next nine months.

On Thursday, Oct. 7 (9 -10 a.m. PT | 12 -1 p.m. ET) we launch the first in the Poverty Learning Series webinar program – The Relationship Between Poverty and Child Welfare and the Role of Interventions with Dr. Jessica Pac (University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work.) A growing evidence base suggests that early childhood poverty, income, and employment might be a root cause of involvement with child protective services. As young children stand to benefit the most from early intervention, these findings imply that income relief might increase child safety as well.

After describing the historical trends in poverty, income, and employment, we will examine more closely the growing body of empirical and theoretical scientific literature and the specific policies and interventions that provide the scaffolding for universal maltreatment prevention. Register here.

Still Time to Register: Poverty Learning Series Book Club
The first reading in the series is “Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong about Poverty” by Mark Robert Rank, Lawrence M. Eppard, and Heather E. Bullock 

Description: Few topics have as many myths, stereotypes, and misperceptions surrounding them as that of poverty in America. The poor have been badly misunderstood since the beginnings of the country, with the rhetoric only ratcheting up in recent times. In “Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong about Poverty” Mark Robert Rank, Lawrence M. Eppard, and Heather E. Bullock powerfully demonstrate that the realities of poverty are much different than the myths; indeed in many ways they are more disturbing. The idealized image of American society is one of abundant opportunities, with hard work being rewarded by economic prosperity. What if hard work does not necessarily lead to economic well-being? What if the reasons for poverty are largely beyond the control of individuals? And if all of the evidence necessary to disprove these myths has been readily available for years, why do they remain so stubbornly pervasive?

Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong About Poverty
When: Sept. 19 – Oct. 26

Independent reading: Sept. 19 – Oct. 16

Facilitated small group discussions: Week of Oct. 18

Live author event: Oct. 26 (please note: this event is not recorded and will not be available for playback at a future date)

Moving from this foundation-setting work, future books in the series will take us to a place of deeper learning around specific topics under the poverty umbrella. The remaining books in the series include: “The Lines Between Us: Two Families and a Quest to Cross Baltimore’s Racial Divide” by Lawrence Lanahan; “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive” by Stephanie Land; and “Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration” by Dr. Reuben Miller.

BOOK CLUB REGISTRATION