Mackenzie Forrest, educational coordinator for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), told the Boone County Board on April 17 that the local CASA program is serving 70 children and is seeking volunteers and community support.

Forrest said CASA trains volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect and manages initial and continuing education for advocates. She said the program recently saw an increase of about 13 children in roughly one month and that CASA now has 27 volunteer advocates serving those children; by comparison, CASA served 86 children in the prior year with 28 advocates.

Forrest said funding for the local CASA program comes from Boone County government, donations, fundraisers and grants. She invited board members and others to participate in a CASA fundraiser, Kick It for CASA, scheduled for April 27 from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; team registration was given in the meeting as $350 per team (8–10 players) with a requirement that at least four team members be female. Forrest also said CASA holds pinwheel and outreach events during Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Why it matters: CASA volunteers provide court-based advocacy for children involved in abuse-and-neglect proceedings; the program’s capacity and fundraising status affect how many children receive direct advocacy.

Ending: Forrest asked board members and community members to contact the CASA office for more information about volunteering or donating; no formal county action was requested during the presentation.