Volunteers for Youth Justice Receives $50,000 CASA Grant

Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) has been awarded a $50,000 National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) grant. The grant will directly support the VYJ CASA program, which recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect across seven parishes in northwest Louisiana: Caddo, Bossier, Webster, DeSoto, Bienville, Claiborne, and Jackson.

CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the court, making regular visits to children, gathering critical information, and submitting court reports to ensure the child’s voice is heard and their needs are met until they find a permanent home. The National CASA/GAL grant will enable VYJ to expand recruitment efforts, ensuring that more children in the region receive the support and advocacy they need during their time in foster care.

“This grant is a significant step forward in expanding our capacity to serve the children of northwest Louisiana,” said Kelli Todd, Executive Director of Volunteers for Youth Justice. “Our CASA program is dedicated to making sure every child in the foster care system is safe, supported, and on the path to a permanent home.” CASA Program Director Patricia Anderson-Alicea says, “These funds will help us recruit more advocates to ensure that the children we serve have a voice in the court system.”

Nationally, there are 941 CASA/GAL state organizations and local programs operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), under the OJJDP FY2021 VOCA Children’s Advocacy National Subgrant Program (CFDA #16.756). The grant is intended to help programs like VYJ increase the number of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers who advocate for children affected by abuse and neglect.

About Volunteers for Youth Justice
Volunteers for Youth Justice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a community caring for children, youth, and families in crisis. VYJ’s CASA program serves seven parishes in northwest Louisiana, working to ensure that every child who enters the foster care system receives the support, care, and advocacy they deserve.

About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association
The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association, together with its 941 state and local program members, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home, and have the opportunity to thrive. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org.