This Year's Project: 2022-2023 Goals
About Our Organization
The CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program helps fulfill society's obligation to children through trained citizen volunteers who advocate for a foster childs right to be safe, to be treated with dignity, and to flourish in the care of a loving family. A CASA volunteer is assigned to one child or sibling group at a time and gets to know the child, speaking to everyone involved in the childs life to promote safety, happiness, and permanence. Support CASA - be the voice of a child!
Prairie Plains CASA advocates for approximately 45 children per year in 7 counties in Southwest Nebraska. We currently have 15 volunteers advocating for 22 children and have 7 children who are waiting for a CASA. Research shows that having a CASA advocate means less time in foster care, fewer foster homes, and fewer school transitions for youth.
The Prairie Plains CASA office provides a home-like visitation space for families that have court-ordered visitation but do not have a safe or appropriate home of their own. “At Matthews Place, parents can plan and cook meals, do a load of laundry, put a toddler down for a nap, or watch a DVD and cuddle with their kids on the couch”.
You can read more about Matthew’s Place at http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/2223261
Current Project: 2022-2023 Goals
Prairie Plains CASA's mission is to provide a voice for neglected and abused children in the court system. To strive for less chaos and uncertainty in their lives while moving through the system until a safe permanent home can be provided for them in which they can grow and thrive.
In the 2022-2023 year Prairie Plains CASA will continue on with its mission by growing our volunteer base in the counties we serve. We advocate for 22 children currently but have 8 children on a waitlist for a CASA. We want a CASA for every child.
We are working with other community stakeholders in the area to host a Home Run derby event geared toward men, but with the goal of increasing volunteerism in our community.
We are also currently working with McCook Jr. High and other community members to put together a financial literacy event called "Reality Check".
If you would like to know more about either event please contact Caitlin Whitehead at director@prairieplainscasa.org or call the office at 308.345.8817
Thank you for your support and look for more information for our upcoming events in later winter or early spring!
Project Details
Continue to recruit and train volunteers to advocate for the abused and neglected children in our communities. Child abuse and neglect are on the rise.
Children too often pay a heavy price when families are under increased financial and emotional stress. This spring and summer children were out of the public eye. They were not at schools, daycares, or in other locations where caring individuals would spot signs of abuse. Now that children are back in school, there has been a surge in the number of child abuse and neglect cases in the courts. CASA programs across Nebraska are working hard to ensure that child abuse and neglect do not go unnoticed. Prairie Plains CASA is working to provide a CASA volunteer for every child that needs one throughout the 7 counties we serve. CASA programs across Nebraska are working hard to ensure that child abuse and neglect do not go unnoticed. Prairie Plains CASA is working to provide a CASA volunteer for every child that needs one throughout the 7 counties we serve. We currently have 15 volunteers serving 25 children.
Continue to maintain Matthew's Place, a visitation space for these children to have a safe homelike setting for supervised visitations with their parents.
A CASA for Every Child
Project Details
Continue to recruit and train volunteers to advocate for the abused and neglected children in our communities. Child abuse and neglect are on the rise.
Children too often pay a heavy price when families are under increased financial and emotional stress. This spring and summer children were out of the public eye. They were not at schools, daycares, or in other locations where caring individuals would spot signs of abuse. Now that children are back in school, there has been a surge in the number of child abuse and neglect cases in the courts. CASA programs across Nebraska are working hard to ensure that child abuse and neglect do not go unnoticed. Prairie Plains CASA is working to provide a CASA volunteer for every child that needs one throughout the 7 counties we serve. We currently have 13 volunteers serving 22 children. We have two children waiting for a volunteer.
The trauma of being removed from parents and their home, and the stress of possibly having to change schools, teachers, and friends. Children often fall behind in school work. Prairie Plains CASA is starting a Homework Help project where children can come to our office and volunteers work with them to catch up on their school work.
Continue to maintain Matthew's Place, a visitation space for these children to have a safe homelike setting for supervised visitations with their parents.
2020 Goals
Project Details
Expand our services to better serve youth who are aging out of the Foster Care system by helping them develop independent living skills.
Continue to recruit and train volunteers to advocate for the abused and neglected children in our communities.
Continue to maintain Matthew's Place, a visitation space for these children to have a safe homelike setting for supervised visitations with their parents.