CASA of Tulare County announced it has received a $186,342 grant award from the California Court Appointed Special Advocate Association to strengthen foster youth advocacy programs throughout Tulare County.
CASA of Tulare County supported 250 youth in 2022 with the dedicated advocacy of 200 CASA volunteers who donated more than 6,500 volunteer hours. The grant awarded to CASA of Tulare County is allocated from a $20 million state appropriation to California CASA, the statewide association that serves a network of 44 local CASA programs.
“I am grateful that the California State Legislature has prioritized the valuable work of the local programs throughout the state,” said Alberto Ramos, executive director of CASA of Tulare County. “CASA volunteer involvement in foster-care cases is a cost-effective intervention. Volunteers on average provide about a quarter million dollars’ worth of advocacy services, based on their volunteer work hours.”
Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq., chief executive officer of California CASA, said the grant will help build a solid foundation for increasing the number of CASAs serving children in Tulare County. “Our ultimate vision is to support all children statewide who could benefit from a CASA volunteer — an estimated 46,000 who live within the foster-care system. These capacity building grants are the first step toward achieving this ambitious goal, which we hope to reach within a decade. We thank Governor Newsom and the California State Legislature for sharing our vision and supporting this vital work.”