ATLANTA — When juvenile judges pair up children in foster care with a nonprofit called Atlanta Court Appointed Special Advocates, or Atlanta CASA, research shows those children are more likely to graduate from high school and go on to higher education because they have a constant advocate
Natalie Marshall is an Atlanta CASA volunteer who has been an advocate for eight different children in foster care.
“It can be emotional, but it’s so worth it for these children,” Marshall said. “They’re in a time of complete instability. They’ve been pulled out of their homes, moved to foster placements, and then even the foster placements tend to change a lot.”
Some 30 years ago, Juvenile Judge Glenda Hatchett saw the need for these advocates in the courtroom and took action.
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“So, Judge Hatchett signed an order April 10, 1995,” said Domonique Cooper, Atlanta CASA’s CEO.
Cooper told Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes that because of Hatchett’s order, many children in foster care have had an advocate to follow them until they age out of the system.
“They show up to No.1, graduate from high school, that’s one thing that. Without a CASA volunteer, many of them then go off to college and to trade schools and to the military and things of that sort,” Copper said.
An organization called GuideStar researched this, and they said a foster child with a CASA volunteer is about four times more likely to graduate from high school than children without one.
Volunteer LaQuita Donald said the program is a game-changer.
“I think as we help our children, we help our beloved community. We help the world because they get to be what they need to be for the world and for themselves,” Donald said. “You can tell when a child feels like you’ve touched their soul or that you’ve encouraged them because it gives them a light, and so you can’t buy that. You just can’t buy that.”
If you think you could be an Atlanta CASA volunteer, you must be 21 and be able to pass a background check. They’ll train you and get you ready to change a child’s life.
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