About this Campaign:
We’ve raised 4% of our goal! Any contribution from $5 – $100 makes a huge difference. Be the hero kids in foster care need today!
Why Invest in CASA of Bristol County?
- First of Its Kind: We are the first CASA program in the south coast of Massachusetts EVER and the first new program in the state in OVER 20 years.
- Proven Model: Though new to Bristol County and southeastern Massachusetts, CASA is a nationally recognized model with nearly 900 programs, including 6 local programs in Massachusetts.
- Led by ‘Lived Experience’: Since its inception, the development of CASA of Bristol County has been led by people who experienced the child welfare system as children who are now professionals working in this field.
- Immediate Impact: We’ve already appointed our first class of advocates to high-need cases, with a second class of volunteers graduating soon and a third training class that will begin training in late Fall 2024.
Your support will move CASA of Bristol County from Launch to IMPACT!
CASA of Bristol County: A Vital Investment for Children in Foster Care
History: Four years ago, in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, our Founding Executive Director volunteered hundreds of hours in order to mobilize a dedicated team of volunteers with lived experience in foster care and allies through grassroots organizing.
Volunteers conducted a feasibility study which revealed there are nearly 1,500 children in need of foster care advocacy in Bristol County. Children are removed from their family of origin and placed into foster when they have experienced or are at risk of experiencing abuse and/or neglect.
Many children in foster care are slipping through the cracks of an overburdened system that does not have the capacity to look after them.
Following market research and resource development, our Founding Executive Director led this committed group of volunteers to transform into a Board of Directors that incorporated CASA of Bristol County as a nonprofit organization on November 29, 2022 and gained 501c3 status in January 2023. Partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders with in our state, regionally and nationally have been key to our launch throughout the last 4 years. We are GRATEFUL to Bristol County Juvenile Courts, Massachusetts CASA Statewide organization and National CASA/GAL for ongoing support throughout this journey.
Additionally, we’re grateful to early investors in our work including the Mass Bar Foundation, Bristol County Saving’s Bank and the Fall River Women’s Union.
Together, we invested thousands of hours to establish CASA of Bristol County, an organization dedicated to providing highly trained community advocates for children experiencing foster care through the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF).
CASA of Bristol County recruits, trains, and supervises court-appointed volunteers who zealously advocate to ensure that the needs of children in foster care are met and their rights are protected. In short, we bring the community into the courtroom.
With nearly 1,500 children eligible for foster care advocacy in Bristol County, the need for dedicated advocates is immense. Your support will ensure we can sustain and grow this crucial program, making a lasting impact on the lives of children and families across Bristol County.
Your support will allow us to recruit, screen, train, and supervise 30 additional volunteers who will be appointed to 40 children on some of the highest-need cases in the Dept of Children and Families (DCF) by June 2025.
