CASA CEO blogs about the Legion

On July 2, Michael Piraino, CEO of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, blogged on its website here how The American Legion and CASA share a core value: the individual’s responsibility to the community.

During the 2009 American Legion Spring Meetings, the National Commission on Children & Youth passed Resolution 35, which encourages posts to assist their local CASA for Children program by recruiting qualified Legionnaires as CASA volunteers and by raising community awareness about CASA. Since then, Legionnaires and The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation have been supporting CASA’s efforts on being a voice for children in the welfare system.

CASA volunteers are appointed by the court to provide a voice for abused and neglected children who would otherwise be left to navigate the child welfare system on their own. The CASA volunteer works one-on-one with the child, until that child is safe in the embrace of a loving, forever family. Thanks to many CWF grants, CASA has been able to provide advocacy in many communities around the country.

Today, 77,000 CASA volunteers are helping nearly 235,000 abused and neglected children across the nation. But 400,000 children still need a CASA volunteer. See how you can take responsibility for the abused and neglected children in your community by visiting http://iamforthechild.org/. Get involved with CASA for Children — add your voice.