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Volunteer |
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There might not be a more noble cause than
helping those who cannot help themselves.
Volunteering in any capacity is admirable
but providing help for the children of Memphis
and Shelby County is especially valuable as
it brings your efforts close to home.
On a daily basis, the abused and neglected children of Memphis and Shelby County deal with difficult circumstances most people never encounter in a lifetime. Compounding the situation, the child's parental infrastructure is often replaced by strangers, police, foster parents, social workers, judges, and lawyers.
Dr. Phil speaks on becoming a CASA Volunteer
View CASA's July 2011 Volunteers...
Having a CASA volunteer means having a trained and committed adult who is appointed by a judge or referee to watch over and advocate for that child’s best interests. A CASA volunteer ensures that a child does not get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languish in an inappropriate group or foster home. A CASA volunteer will be there for that child until the court case is closed. CASA can make the difference between homelessness and safety, dropping out and graduation, unemployment and success, and jail and productivity.
CASA volunteers are the only volunteers appointed by a judge and empowered to stand up for abused or neglected children in court. We invite you to learn more about becoming a volunteer by contacting the Memphis and Shelby CASA program. We hope you decide to join our family of volunteers: everyday people who are committed to improving children’s lives. Download an application.
Adrian Sanchez knows the foster-care system from the inside out. For the last 7 years, the former foster child has been a volunteer with CASA of Memphis. Sanchez's mother gave up her parental rights when he was 8 years old and his older brother was 10. He says he was told hewas disposable his entire childhoo
d.
"What was missing in my life and my brother's life was love. Nobody hugged you. Nobody kissed you," he says. "These kids aren't disposable," Though he lacked family support, he says he's made a life for himself through the grace of God. But that's perhaps exactly the reason why he works with CASA. "There was no coach, no teacher, no parents, no aunties. Nobody intervened when they knew abuse and neglect was going on," he says. "You've got to intervene."–Adrian Sanchez, CASA volunteer.
(In picture: Adrian Sanchez shaking hands with former Executive Director, Keisha Walker)
For information about volunteering, please contact Reniere Hayes, Coordinator of Volunteer Recruitment and Training at (901) 522-0200 or rhayes@memphiscasa.org.
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