Neighbor News
Fairfax CASA Seeks Volunteers!
Vulnerable Children Need Someone Like You To Be A strong Advocate
Fairfax CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a local non-profit whose mission is to advocate for the best interests of every abused and neglected child with an open case before the court in Fairfax County.
Navigating the child welfare system as a child who has been abused or neglected is scary for children; the feelings of unfamiliar surroundings and lack of a stable routine are a reality for all children in the foster care system. Minority children in particular often don’t feel understood in their new environments and need an advocate who can fully grasp their experiences related to cultural and racial identity. When a child has a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) who looks like them, speaks their language, and can understand their racial and cultural experiences, they are better served and supported.
At Fairfax CASA, it is important to us that our CASA volunteers reflect the diversity of the children we serve. Children are formed by their own expereinces and having a loving, caring authentic adult who they can identify with and connect with during an exceptionally challenging time in life is vital.
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Black and Brown children are overrepresented in the foster care system across the Country and Fairfax County is not an outlier. 67% of the children we currently serve in Fairfax County are Black or Hispanic, yet less than 17% of the general population of Fairfax is Hispanic, and less than 11% is Black. These racial and ethnic inequities need to be addressed systemically, but as an organization, we need a diverse pool of volunteers who can provide culturally competent advocacy to these children, today.
Right now, these vulnerable children need someone like you to be a strong advocate. Please consider joining us at an upcoming information session on May 4th @ 1PM or May 18th @ 7PM. We are also hosting a special information session on June 15th @ 7PM for Bilingual Spanish speakers. RSVP to volunteer@casafairfax.org and visit www.fairfaxcasa.org for more information on how you can help these children and make a difference.