CASA of Lane County 174 Deadmond Ferry Springfield, OR. 97477 541-984-3132 Verna Tuesday, Program Coordinator vernat@casa-lane.org

"Our program was established in 1994 to fulfill a legislative mandate of providing trained volunteers from the community to advocate for abused and neglected children in dependency court. 48%-62% of the dependency cases with a CASA have domestic violence as an issue.

"CASA volunteers advocate for the best interests of children in the foster care and DHS system to receive services they need and to expedite their journey toward permanency. CASAs make recommendations to the juvenile court judge about the best permanent placement for the child. The volunteer visits the child regularly and is a consistent and reliable presence through the entire case. The CASA can also recommend services for the parents. Services needed and advocated for vary by each individual case.

"We are a private non-profit, and in need of committed community members to volunteer as advocates or other help. Financial donations are always welcome. CASA of Lane County also operates a clothing closet for foster children at our office. Caseworkers or foster parents can access this directly.

"Our staff and volunteers are motivated by a passion for a child's right to be free from abuse and neglect. Seeing and knowing we are making a huge difference in a child's life and in our community as a whole keeps us inspired and committed."

~ Verna Tuesday, August 2003