Voices for Children, an established non-profit in the Brazos Valley, is now providing volunteer advocates for children in foster care in Freestone and Limestone counties. Volunteers are currently serving close to 20 local children but because the program is new to the area, all current child advocates are from surrounding counties. Local community members are encouraged to become advocates to help local abused and neglected children and are invited to attend an informational session to learn more. Informational sessions will be Tuesday, May 28 at 12 noon at the Freestone County Courthouse and Tuesday, May 28 at 5:30 pm at the Groesbeck Public Library. Citizens need only attend one of these sessions.
The role of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is to learn everything they can about the child or children involved in a child protection case and then make informed recommendations to the court as to what is best for the child/children regarding their immediate needs, and most importantly, the safest, most permanent home for each child. Without these highly trained volunteers children can easily fall through the cracks of the overburdened child welfare system.
Voices for Children recruits and trains community members to do just that – sponsor a child. Doing so will mean the world for the child you choose to sponsor. Another service we provide through a different organization lets volunteers stand up in court and advocate for abused and neglected children in the foster care system. CASA volunteers participate in approximately 40 hours of pre-service training, including 28 hours of classroom training and 13 hours of outside study, undergo criminal and CPS background checks, and are then sworn in as guardian ad litems by a local judge. The next volunteer training begins June 10, 2019 in Centerville, Texas.
Currently, Voices for Children is automatically appointed to every child who enters foster care in the counties served and supports a CASA volunteer for every case. The organization is currently serving 210 children, utilizing 100 volunteers from the Brazos Valley community. Voices for Children looks forward to serving every child in need of an advocate in Limestone and Freestone Counties with advocates from their home communities.
Voices for Children is a 501c3 non-profit organization located in Bryan, TX. Funding for their services is procured from grants, local individual and corporate donations, and fundraising efforts. The mission of the organization is to improve the lives of children in foster care through powerful volunteer advocacy ensuring each child is placed in a safe and permanent home.
To learn more about this great organization and their noble cause go to vfcbrazos.org, follow them on facebook and Instagram @vfcbrazos or call 979-822-9700.
