Meet One of the Many Advocates for Our Future
There are currently 9,000 children bouncing around the court system and in and out of foster homes in Maricopa County, AZ. Nationwide, that number skyrockets to more than 400,000. These children desperately need an advocate on their side. They need someone looking out for their best interests and helping to place them in a forever home. That’s where the role of a CASA comes in. Being a CASA, a Court Appointed Special Advocate, is something that has become a crucial need throughout the country, but it is also a role that comes with dynamic rewards, too.
Meet Lawrence Falvey. Lawrence has been a CASA for three years and, of course, has an incredible story with each case he has been assigned. What Lawrence did not realize when he joined the program, however, was that the need for adult males in the role of a CASA was so high… and still is today! Not that it is easier for females to choose to volunteer, but overall there are indeed more female volunteers than males. The life-changing difference that an adult male can make not only on a youth or teenage boy, but also with youth & teenage girls is critical. Bottom line, children with a CASA do better in school, are less likely to re-enter foster care and receive unique life experiences that they otherwise may never have had.
Lawrence joined us on the show to chat about why and how he chose to become a CASA… and just why you should consider it, too! Thank you for your stories, Lawrence! Listen:
Steve Keim, Uncle Rico, and the Hokey Pokey
By Alex Clancy