CASA of East Tennessee has been awarded a $8830 Professional Development Grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children. CASA of East Tennessee recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

The grant will pay for coursework and other costs leaders would otherwise incur to develop the skills to better serve children who have a CASA/GAL advocate.

“This professional development grant provides our organization a unique opportunity to attend and complete a fundraising certification. The success of our mission relies heavily on our having community engagement and support to provide the resources for successful recruitment and retention of highly trained professionals who can reach potential advocates, provide them with the most up to date evidence backed training and maintain support throughout cases ensuring that the most vulnerable children in our community have strong, committed advocates to stand by them and speak on their behalf during these difficult times.” said Ada Hernandez-Bell, Executive Director of CASA of East Tennessee.

There are 950 CASA/GAL programs nationwide, including 45 state offices. The federal grant funds distributed through National CASA/GAL are provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Department of Justice, as authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. In 2018, National CASA/GAL was awarded nearly $10 million in federal grants.

In 2019, 68 active CASA of East Tennessee volunteers served 265 children in need of our advocacy in Knox County. Our volunteers work to determine a child’s needs, ensure they receive necessary care while in the system, and find the child a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible. Dedicated Court Appointed Special Advocates are the voice these children so desperately need within our court system, and we are committed to recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers to advocate for kids’ best interests.

Make a Difference: www.casaofeasttn.org