JESSICA WAS SUFFERING BECAUSE OF MEDICAL NEGLECT
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Jessica was found covered in insect bites and suffering from an untreated ear infection.
When Child Protective Services workers visited Jessica's Dallas home, they found the 3-year-old covered in bug bites and suffering because her mother had ignored her medical needs. Because of a variety of medical issues, Jessica cannot communicate, must remain in a wheelchair and requires constant care to keep her safe and healthy.
During Jessica's time in protective care, she lived two hours away from the Dallas area, making it difficult for her CPS worker to visit. Thankfully, she was appointed a CASA volunteer, Judy, who visited Jessica frequently in her foster home and kept the court informed about her healing and care. Because CPS had limited information, they were planning to return Jessica home. Judy carefully compiled medical records and doctors' recommendations to show the court and CPS that Jessica needed constant care to keep her safe and healthy. She consulted with doctors, teachers, day-care workers and the foster parents to make an objective recommendation to the court about where Jessica should live. The judge listened to Judy's recommendations.
Jessica's mother visited her daughter sporadically, and her lack of care showed in the physically careless way she handled her young daughter. Even in front of CPS workers, her treatment of Jessica caused physical discomfort to her disabled daughter. Judy knew Jessica would be in danger if she returned home. Finally, Jessica's mother recognized that she could not care for her daughter and decided to give up her parental rights.
Judy helped find a home for Jessica with an adoptive family. Today, she is attending a preschool for medically fragile children, which provides her with occupational therapy to allow her to develop and grow despite her physical limitations. A year ago, no one thought Jessica would ever be able do much more than sit in her wheelchair. Today, thanks to the support provided by her adoptive family and the school she attends, she is learning to stand with assistance. Judy's advocacy provided Jessica with the help she needed to heal from neglect and to find a loving, permanent home.
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CONGRATULATIONS NEW VOLUNTEERS!
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The newest class of CASA volunteers with the Hon. William Mazur on Aug. 16.
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Less than half of abused children in Dallas have CASA volunteers to speak for them, but more will be served thanks to these volunteers.
The Hon. William Mazur of the 304th Juvenile District Court administered the CASA oath welcoming 24 newly trained Court Appointed Special Advocates to the Dallas CASA program. We congratulate the following volunteers who completed the intensive 30-hour CASA training course and were sworn in as Court Appointed Special Advocates on Aug. 16.
Angela Akins ⦁ Renu Bala ⦁ LaKisha Camese ⦁ Anayelo Campos ⦁ Tina Douglas ⦁ Colletta Harper ⦁ Rochelle Jackson ⦁ Joana Jimenez ⦁ Catrina Johnson ⦁ Tiffany Kaiser ⦁ Chauntae Kato ⦁ Katharine Liggett ⦁ Angeleque Linville ⦁ Christopher Lunn ⦁ Andrea Maloy ⦁ Kimberly Morris ⦁ Ava Munoz ⦁ Darcey Newsum, ⦁ Kate Padilla ⦁ Madeline Pinckert ⦁ Cassie Ram ⦁ Christa Schelter ⦁ Carmen Smith ⦁ Samantha Smith
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SAVE THE DATE: NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY IS SEPTEMBER 19
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Mark your calendar to make your gift go further to help abused children on September 19.
From 7 a.m. to midnight on this special day, join with thousands of others across North Texas to support your favorite charity and make your gift to Dallas CASA go further thanks to the Communities Foundation of Texas.
DonorBridge, run by the Communities Foundation, together with the Dallas Foundation and the Center for Nonprofit Management, will contribute more than $1 million in matching funds and prizes to hundreds of North Texas charities. Last year, this event raised more than $66,000 for Dallas CASA. This year, we hope to beat that amount. Please join us on Sept. 19 to make your gift go further toward helping abused children in our community.
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ABUSED CHILDREN WIN BECAUSE OF PARADE OF PLAYHOUSES
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The Ambit Energy playhouse, the S.S. Ambition
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Dallas CASA's 18th annual Parade of Playhouses raised more than $156,000 for abused children.
The 18th annual Parade of Playhouses event has drawn to a close, and many more children will have the help they need to find loving homes thanks to the support of our sponsors, friends and the generous individuals who purchased the thousands of raffle tickets sold during the event. Parade of Playhouses kicked off with a housewarming party on Aug. 4 at Build-A-Bear Workshop at NorthPark Center and concluded with a raffle drawing on Aug. 18. Dallas CASA supporters Angela and Jim Thompson selected children from the audience to draw the winning raffle tickets. As drumrolls played, dozens of children watched as the tickets were drawn, each hoping to win a carefully handcrafted playhouse. While there could only be 17 playhouse raffle winners, the abused and neglected children who will be served because of the funds and awareness raised are truly the winners. Dallas CASA is pleased to recognize the following for their support of abused children: Presenting Sponsor--ORIX Foundation Palace Sponsors--NorthPark Center; Jim & Angela Thompson Foundation Castle Sponsor--People Newspapers Mansion Sponsors--CEC Electrical Inc.; Geoforce; Glazer's; Methodist Dallas Medical Center; Sewell; Kappa Alpha Theta - Dallas Alumnae Chapter; Winstead PC Chateau Sponsors--Anonymous; Bob Borson with "Life of an Architect"; Deloitte; Norton Rose Fulbright; Ricoh USA; Wells Fargo Villa Sponsors--Bread Winners Caf� & Bakery; Fossil; Guardian Exteriors, Inc.; KPMG; La Duni; Rent-A-Center; TDIndustries; U.S. Bank Special Thanks--DallasChild Magazine; Tycher-Stein Playhouse Builders--Ambit Energy; AMX with Southwest Displays & Events; Brayden Homes; Bob Borson with Buford Hawthorne; CEC Electrical, Inc. with Scott & Reid General Contractors; Corgan; Eastern Partners with 505 Ranch, S. Clements Homes and Jeffery Bowers Architecture; Eastern Partners with Villas at Cortina, S. Clements Homes and Jeffery Bowers Architecture; Sarah Fox with AUI Contractors; Katie Friesen with AUI Contractors; Geoforce with Butscher Construction; LRO Residential; Methodist Dallas Medical Center with Anton, Austin Commercial, Lasco, Perkins & Will and Brian Easley; ORIX Foundation with RH Residential Renovations and HKS; Thanh Ho Phuong with Austin Commercial; Henry Roseman, Boy Scout Troop 838 with Peter Goldstein, Foxworth Galbraith and The Home Depot; Winstead with Erin Nicole Parisi and Harper House
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NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING
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Dallas CASA is accepting applications for upcoming volunteer training sessions. The first step toward becoming a CASA volunteer is attending a new volunteer information session.
Upcoming Info Sessions:
September 6, 12-1:00 p.m.
September 12, 6-7:00 p.m.
September 19, 6-7:00 p.m.
September 20, 12-2:00 p.m.
Register online.
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ABOUT DALLAS CASA
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When kids can't speak for themselves, CASA can.
Dallas CASA is a nonprofit organization of community volunteers who serve as voices in court for abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers are trained and supervised to advocate for the best interests of abused children in protective care and to make recommendations that help judges decide what is best for each child. A CASA volunteer is often the one constant during a frightening, uncertain time in a child's life.
Sadly, Dallas CASA only serves less than half of the children who need CASA volunteers. You can help. A child is waiting for your voice.
To learn more about helping abused children, please visit dallascasa.org.
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