OUR MISSION

To recruit, train, and empower community volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect in West Virginia’s Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties.

OUR VISION

Every child who has experienced abuse or neglect has an advocate working on behalf of their best interests and is given the opportunity to thrive in a safe and loving home.

CASA-EP is committed to better understanding and honoring every child that has a unique circumstance and special factors, especially those from historically marginalized groups. Racial and ethnic differences may be most evident, but we also recognize important differences in heritage, cultural background, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented identities.

CASA-EP commits to value these differences and varied strengths among us to better serve the children of our region and, ultimately, our larger community. CASA-EP undertakes this commitment not only in writing but by strengthening our communications, training, operations, community relationships, and overall climate of inclusion to be reflective of the identities of the most vulnerable children in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

CASA-EP empowers volunteers to directly influence life-changing decisions affecting children in foster care. Trained and supervised by CASA-EP’s staff of professionals, volunteer advocates become sworn officers of the court before being carefully matched with a child.

As a CASA Volunteers are

  • A trusted support for children.
  • Advocating for the child’s social, emotional, educational, and permanency needs and ensure that they are met (promptly and fully) through appropriate social services, educational support, and access to other community resources.
  • Monitoring the progress of CASA-EP children and youth, building a close connection through bi-weekly visits and consistent, caring support for the duration of their time in the system.

WE ARE HERE TO CHANGE LIVES...

And we do. Children who have a court-appointed volunteer receive more of the services that are critical to their well-being than children who don’t. They are more likely to succeed in school.

CHILDREN WITH A CASA

SPEND LESS TIME IN FOSTER CARE

THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO

MOVE LESS FREQUENTLY

THEY ALSO

RECIEVE MORE SERVICES

AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO

DO BETTER IN SCHOOL

What’s that worth to a child? To our region? To our state? The answer in dollars is impressive: $1.6 million a year in savings on foster care alone.

The answer for everything else we value as a society—health, happiness, resilience, hope, strength, human potential, faith in ourselves, and in our neighbors—is beyond measure.

Through persistence, partnership, and passion for our mission, CASA volunteers now serve over 350 children annually across the Eastern Panhandle. Over 400 additional children are waiting for a CASA volunteer to make a difference in their lives.

Be the One.

Older youth in foster care are one of the most vulnerable populations in this country. They are less likely to reach a permanent home and may languish in the foster care system for years before aging out, which happens to hundreds of young people every year in West Virginia.

Fostering Futures is a new program that pairs CASA-EP volunteer advocates with children who will age out of the foster care system. For more information on volunteering to work with children in our new Fostering Futures program, please fill out an inquiry form.