Hope is power!
For an abused or neglected child in the dependency system, a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) can help transform hopelessness to hope. Since 2005, CASA of Peoria County and our dedicated volunteers have been serving children in the Juvenile Abuse and Neglect Court system, speaking up for children who might otherwise be voiceless—and planting seeds of possibility in young lives where despair has been a frequent companion.
As of May 2018, we have expanded our mission dramatically to give the power of hope to abused and neglected children in four additional counties: Tazewell, Marshall, Putnam and Stark. Along with Peoria, these counties comprise the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Under our new name, CASA of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, we continue to support children in the court system. We do that by providing trained volunteers who work in partnership with the child’s attorney and social worker to ensure safety, improve well-being and increase the chance of quickly finding a permanent, loving home.
This expansion, funded by an Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) with Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants, includes a second office near the Tazewell County Courthouse in Pekin, now led by Tazewell County Coordinator Ryan Lacerna. We also have added new staff to support advocate recruitment and training across all counties.
Now we have one more critical need: you.
More than 1,500 children in the counties we serve currently do not have an Advocate. That’s why, by the end of 2018, we are committed to recruiting and training at least 100 new advocates.
I invite you to be a source of hope in a hurting child’s life through the gift of advocacy and care. Will you help them get the second chance they deserve?
To learn more, visit our Volunteer as a CASA page and plan to attend an info session. As part of our broadened mission, we’ve also launched this new website to more fully share the essence of what we do and how you can make a profound difference in the life of a child—and in yours. Please explore it and share it with others!
Warmly,
Pamela Perrilles, Executive Director