Welcome

Exciting news! You are reading our very first blog post, and there will be plenty more to come. 

CASA of New River has only been around for two years, but our services have been needed for decades. For those who don’t know, CASA advocates are trained volunteers that work with children who’ve experienced abuse and neglect that lands them in foster or kinship care. 

Navigating legal proceedings can be incredibly difficult for a child, yet judges often look to children when deciding where to place them. CASA advocates read a child’s file, get to know them, monitor services, and make a recommendation to the judge regarding where that child should be placed. 

Children working with CASA advocates are more likely to be reunified with their families and less likely to re-enter the foster care system. They also tend to do better in school and have statistically measurable higher levels of hope. 

CASA advocates make a tremendous difference, but too many children in foster care don’t have access to one. Until we were founded in 2024, there were no CASA services for children in Raleigh County—one of our state’s most populous counties. To this day, only four counties in southern West Virginia have CASA programs.

Our mission is to make sure every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home and be given opportunities to thrive. This blog will help us accomplish that. In the coming weeks, we’ll start telling all kinds of important stories.

We’ll share information about how you can volunteer, and we’ll spotlight the amazing West Virginians who are serving as CASA advocates. We’ll educate you about different programs we offer to support children who’ve experienced abuse and neglect. And we’ll give you updates on our fundraising efforts, plus share information about upcoming events you can attend to support our mission.

We’ve got one particularly exciting event coming up on May 2nd: Bet on a Child’s Future. This Kentucky Derby-themed fundraiser will support our efforts to make sure children have dedicated advocates in the courtroom. There will be a cash bar, a “Run for the Roses” silent auction, derby-inspired Hors d'oeuvres and music by Lady D, plus a contest for best hat and attire.

You can purchase your ticket here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and we look forward to telling more stories through this space!