It has been said it takes a village to raise a child. And when the child is a victim of abuse or neglect in their natural home, it is up to the village to protect and rescue that child from further harm. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a nation-wide program in America that ensures children live and grow in a safe, loving environment whether it is with their biological family or with a foster one. CASA volunteers provide support and resources to both the child and parent (biological or foster) and regularly monitors the progress of their relationship. They make recommendations as guardian ad litem to judges and other officials that have say over the future of the child in the welfare system. Sometimes the child is lucky and is able to thrive in their new environment, sometimes it takes several rounds for them to find a suitable home. Sometimes, it never happens and the child ages out of the system. Throughout all of these situations, CASA is there to help to the best of their abilities, always for the best outcome for the child.
During our Texas Volunteer Month 2018, Rimini Street colleagues gathered in Austin to decorate pillowcases which serve as a makeshift suitcase for children in the foster system. On average, children are placed in 8 different homes before finding a permanent one or aging out. It is a sad reality, but we wished to instill some hope in these children by drawing positive messages and artwork on the individualized pillowcases. We made 44 pillowcases and handwritten cards and filled them each with all of our Rimini Family love. We also provided a donation to support CASA as they continue the wonderful, life changing work in the Travis County of Texas.
