The background
Established in 1985, CASA of Central Texas serves Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays counties. The nonprofit is made up of staff and volunteers who are trained to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children in foster care.
CEO Norma Castilla-Blackwell has been part of the organization for 21 years and was inspired to join CASA’s mission after taking on the role of an advocate for a family member.
When Castilla-Blackwell joined the team, there were only three staff members. Today, CASA’s team is made up of almost 27 individuals.
Looking forward
Castilla-Blackwell said the organization starts each year with the same goal: to serve 100% of the foster care children in their four-county system. She said they are currently serving 78% of the children in their areas.
While the team plays a huge role in maintaining the organization, Castilla-Blackwell said volunteers make a great contribution to the organization’s mission.
“It’s very important for us to advocate for those children because sometimes they don’t have that,” Castilla-Blackwell said.
Responsibilities of volunteers include determining the emotional, physical and educational needs of the child, sharing a researched background of the child with the judge, and providing a recommendation for the placement of the child. CASAs follow each case until it is permanently resolved.
Castilla-Blackwell said volunteers contribute an estimated 12-15 hours a month.
Check this out
The organization will host its annual fundraiser on April 11 from 6-10 p.m. at The Chandelier of Gruene located at 1924 Bretzke Lane in New Braunfels. Attendees can look forward to a dinner and auction in which all funds raised will go toward furthering CASA of Central Texas’ mission.
- New Braunfels office: 830-626-2272; San Marcos office: 512-392-3578
- www.casacentex.org
