A Small Ray of Light: How CASA Supports Vulnerable Kids
Court-Appointed Special Advocates of Kent County believes every child deserves a safe and loving home.
With funding from Heart of West Michigan United Way, CASA trains volunteers to walk alongside abused and neglected children as they navigate the family court system. CASA volunteers support children emotionally and work to ensure their best interests are being served.
When Lucy was living in residential foster care, she was paired with a CASA volunteer named Sara. The relationship changed her life. This is her story (names have been altered for privacy):
After being in foster care for two years, and after my sister got adopted, I got sent to residential care. I was 11 years old and would be there for the next eight years of my life.
Living in a residential foster care facility feels like you are in juvenile detention. You are told what to do, where to do it, and where to be almost every minute of the day. We didn’t even leave the building for school since our classroom was inside the same place we lived. And when we had school we were all taught the same stuff, no matter our age. When anyone acted out, they would get a shot in the butt to calm them down. If that didn’t work, a kid could be physically held down by five adults.
“Living in a residential foster care facility feels like you are in juvenile detention.”
I was lonely because even though people were always around, it seemed like every time I connected with someone, they would leave. I lost count of how many foster care workers I had. And sometimes these facilities have people who would come in and be mentors for us. But they never stuck around for long. Even the counselors and other workers in the facilities seemed to come and go way too much.
When I was 16 years old, five years after entering institutionalized foster care, I finally had a small ray of light enter my dark life. Her name was Sara, and she was my CASA.
I remember the first time Sara came to see me. I barely talked to her. And when I did, it was to tell her I didn’t want her there and to go away. At this point, I didn’t trust a soul in this world because no one ever stayed in my life. But week after week, she came back. When I was mean to her, she’d still come see me. When I would ignore her, she would still come back. I tried hard to push her away. But Sara told me she wasn’t like everyone else. And she wasn’t going away.
Slowly, I started to trust her, and I found myself looking forward to her visits. Whenever she came to see me, we would do what I wanted to do. Can you imagine how amazing that felt after all those years of not getting to make any choices for myself? She was the only person asking me what I wanted and needed. And she would listen to me. I rarely connected with anyone anymore, but knowing Sara cared about me, my feelings, and what I was going through made all the difference in the world to me. Sara was the one consistent, caring person in my life week after week.
“Knowing Sara cared about me, my feelings, and what I was going through made all the difference in the world to me.”
CASA reports that, even after Lucy has entered adulthood, Sara is still present in her life, offering guidance and support. If you’re interested in learning about what it means to be a CASA volunteer, visit casakentco.org.
Learn more about the Family Crisis programs supported by our Community Grant Fund.