CASA seeking mentors for neglected children

Sonoma County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is seeking volunteers to become youth advocates and mentors for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes by the child welfare system for protective services.

CASA provides adult mentors to children who need a special friend and advocate to support them and to provide a consistent presence in the sometimes lonely and scary world of foster homes, court rooms and counselors’ offices.

Juvenile court officials have identified 37 additional youngsters who need mentors and CASA is appealing to Sonoma County residents to volunteer.

Millie Gilson, executive director of CASA, said volunteers are asked to spend a minimum of 10-12 hours a month with their CASA youngster. “CASA volunteers provide the human contact the kids need and the adult experience and savvy the court needs to make better decisions for these kids.”

She said CASA currently has about 130 volunteers, and she hopes to recruit another 30 with the next training, which is July 21-23. Classes are held at CASA‘s office at the Los Guilicos complex near Oakmont in Santa Rosa.

For more information, contact Gilson at 707-565-6375, or go to www.sonomacasa.org.