I recently
had the opportunity to review the Program Evaluation Survey
results that many of you completed last month, and I would like
to address some of the issues relating to CASAs for Children
(CFC) and the services we offer.
CFC currently
supports CASA volunteers in as many ways as possible. We do
provide phone cards; scholarships to attend the National CASA
Conference, State CASA Conference, or other appropriate
training; up to $25 per child per year reimbursement for
activities you do with your CASA child clients; a used book
account at Title Wave in Anchorage; and we solicit/purchase
activity passes or coupons you may use with the children. We do
not currently offer parking or travel reimbursement, but we do
hear your requests for these, and we will consider ways to meet
this need. Please, if you want more information about or to
access any of these services, contact your local CASA Program
Staff or Board member. And if you have any ideas for additional
services, you may either tell your local CASA Staff or email me
directly.
In another
area, CFC offers support directly for children in several ways:
camp scholarships (not just summer) when OCS will not pay; Mini
Grants of up to $100 for children’s needs that are not met by
OCS; and the $1,000 Dickison Scholarship for a student to
participate in an educational trip outside Alaska. As with the
CASA support items, your local CASA Program Staff can help you
access these items.
To the survey
question of how you could help CFC, several of you mentioned
specific skills you have that you would be willing to share
(newsletter, marketing, public speaking) or a willingness to
serve on the Board, a committee, or assist at an event; thank
you. I will be contacting you soon. If you are able to support
CFC in any way – whether you responded to the survey or not –
will you please
email me directly and I will
gratefully help put you to work.
Thank you so
much for the important work you do for Alaska’s most vulnerable
children. I hope you know that you make a positive difference in
their lives by the work you do as a CASA volunteer.
Have a great
summer!
