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About Us |
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Board of Directors Margaret Reid, President Belynda Dwyer Patrick Halloran LaTarius Harris Bobby Martin Keisha Moses Michael Nolen Kim Pittman-Jackson Bridget Warner Keisha Walker, |
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Our History
CASA is an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocates. In 1976, the Presiding Judge of King County Superior Court in Seattle, Washington, began to look for alternative ways to make sure the child's best interests would be consistently presented to the court. He decided to use trained community volunteers who would be asked to make a commitment for the life of a child's case.
In 1982, the National CASA Association was formed to unify the movement and provide leadership, as well as training and assistance in starting and expanding programs. In 1990, the U.S. Congress passed the Victims of Child
Abuse Act, which allocated federal funds to start and expand CASA programs. Today there are more than 950 CASA programs nationwide, with nearly 59,000 CASA volunteers speaking up for abused and neglected children as CASA volunteers.
Locally, more than 15,000 children have benefited from the services of the Memphis CASA program since its inception in 1986. Believing that such a program would greatly benefit the Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court, the late Judge Kenneth A Turner established the Memphis CASA program. Through his leadership and the dedication of many volunteers and staff, CASA of Memphis and Shelby County has matured into the top 2% of CASA programs nationally.
Our Structure
CASA of Memphis is a member of the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association and an active member of the Tennessee CASA Association. We have been in operation since 1986. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit social service agency and are governed by a board of directors. There are 7 full-time CASA employees who support more than 150 volunteers.
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