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SAM AND BEN'S MOM WAS ADDICTED TO METH   

CASA Kids Stock Photo

 

When their mother was pulled over for driving under the influence, young Sam and Ben were in the back seat and meth pipes were discovered in the vehicle.

  

Sam and Ben, ages 6 and 9, had always lived an unstable life, but it wasn't until their mother was pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving that CPS removed the children from her care for the last time. The police found she was under the influence of drugs and had meth pipes in the car. Her children were in the back seat. Mom was arrested, and the children were put into foster care.

 

The court appointed CASA volunteer Ginny to Sam and Ben's case. On her first visit, Ginny told the boys they had the right to be angry at what had happened. Ginny became the constant in their lives, and found ways to connect with the boys. They took lots of walks to a nearby school to shoot baskets or play H-O-R-S-E. Over time they began to trust her. Ginny learned that Mom lived in the back of a shop that sold drug paraphernalia and frequently medicated her children to get them to sleep so she could use meth. Ginny knew that the Sam and Ben would not be safe if they returned home.

 

From the beginning, the children wanted to live with their grandmother. Hers was the only home where they had ever known any stability. It took time for her to be approved by the courts, so Sam and Ben remained in foster care. They started at a new school where they had support from great teachers. For the first time, the children had structure, and they thrived in it.

 

When the case went to mediation, Ginny advocated for the boys to live with their grandmother, who wanted to raise them. Mom finally agreed to relinquish her parental rights, and the children began preparing to move to their grandmother's house.

 

Ginny went to the airport to see Sam and Ben off to their new home. She brought books for them to read on the plane and wrote each child a letter reminding them that she would always be there for them if they needed her. The children are now surrounded by friends in their new neighborhood and frequently get to visit with their cousins, aunts and uncles. Sam hopes to become a doctor one day and still sleeps with Ginny's card under his pillow. Ben says he wants to be a dancer on Broadway or maybe an oceanographer. They are happy and active boys with a future much brighter than their past. 

CHAMPION OF CHILDREN HONOREES LEAD COMMUNITY TO HELP
 

Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones, co-founders of The Rees-Jones Foundation and longtime supporters of innovative programs to help victims of child abuse, will be honored for their commitment to protecting abused and neglected children at Dallas CASA's annual Champion of Children Award Dinner, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Rees-Jones will be presented with the prestigious Judge Barefoot Sanders Champion of Children Award which recognizes community leaders who significantly improve the lives of children, particularly those whose young lives have been marked by abuse, neglect or other adversity.

 

The couple started The Rees-Jones Foundation in 2006 out of a desire to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and families. Among their many areas of commitment, the Rees-Joneses have championed early intervention services for at-risk families, emergency needs services for children living in foster care and high-quality early childhood education for low-income children. Their involvement has improved the quality of life and well-being of abused children and led to systemic changes and replicable models for handling abuse investigations, delivering efficient and effective mental health and medical services to these children and greatly expanding the opportunity to provide a CASA volunteer advocate for every abused child in Dallas.

 

A limited number of individual tickets are still available for $300 each. To purchase tickets, contact Stacy Lillis, Dallas CASA Events Manager, at [email protected] or at 214-827-8961 x272.

CONGRATULATIONS NEW VOLUNTEERS
Swearing in ceremony with the Hon. Derrick Morrison. 
Swearing in ceremony with the Hon. Cheryl Lee Shannon. 
CASA volunteers provide a hand to hold for abused children during the most frightening times in their lives. 

    

Sadly, less than half the abused children living in protective care in Dallas County have CASA volunteers to speak for them. Thanks to the following, more children will have a voice in court. Congratulations to our new volunteers! 

 

Joanna Alexander Richard Bordelon Julie Brown Susan Copp Cathy Cruz Emily Dang Jaclyn Demko Olivia De Luna Ennise Henderson Veronica Herrera Demetria Howard-Watkins Leslie Jackson Shelia Jones Joe Marshall Julie Marshall Marvella McElya Nanci Mendoza Martha Mock Caitlin Phillips Myriam Rocha Marleine Severe Joanna Smith Marc Stovall Paula Stovall Dawn Stubbs Tu Anh Tran Dawn Wenz Sharon Williams Kristen Zerega 

NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING

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:

 

November 1, 12-1:00 p.m.  

November 8, 12-1:00 p.m.

November 14, 6-7:00 p.m.

November 21, 6-7:00 p.m.

November 22, 12-1:00 p.m. 

 

Register online.  

VOLUNTEER HOURS

24,000 volunteer hours advocating for children in court so far in 2013!

 

Submit volunteer hours using Optima.

ABOUT DALLAS CASA

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 serves less than half of the children who need a voice in court and in the community. 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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CASA and Court Appointed Special Advocates are registered trademarks of the National CASA Association.