The CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region’s CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program is a nationally accredited program to provide highly trained volunteers as a powerful voice that advocates for a safe, permanent, loving environment for children who are in the Saginaw County court system because of abuse and neglect.

CASAs are ordinary people making extra-ordinary contributions to the lives of abused and neglected children.  Every child has the right to a safe, permanent and caring home. Yet, according to the Saginaw County Department of Human Services, each year in Saginaw County over 350 children are confirmed victims of abuse or neglect.  Most of these children live in foster care or with relatives because it is not safe to return home.  Most of these children will end up in court.  Their only ‘crime’ is that they have been victims.

It is up to a family court judge to decide the child’s future.  Is it safe to return home?  Will the child remain in foster care for the rest of their childhood?  Will adoption be the permanent solution?  A CASA will research their case, assess the facts, identify key problems and submit court reports and then make a recommendation to the family court judge who will then make a decision about the child’s future.

The Art Van grant will help support this vital program that advocates, “I am for the child”!

• Recommend on Facebook
• Share on Linkedin
• Tweet about it
• Subscribe to the comments on this post
• Tell a friend
• Print for later