Lexington CASA volunteer sticks with kid through 20+ placements, helps him get adopted
CASA of Lexington Executive Director Melynda Jamison, right, presents CASA volunteer Kelley Sloane with the nonprofit’s first ever Volunteer Achievement Award for her dedication to a single CASA case over eight years.
For the better part of a decade, Thomas had no permanent home. Different adults cycled in and out of his life as he was moved around in the foster system to more than 20 different placements.
Often, children stuck in foster care for such a long time like Thomas never regain permanency.
Jamison speaks about Sloane’s dedication to her volunteer work.
“The likelihood of adoption drops the older a child gets,” said Melynda Jamison, Executive Director of CASA of Lexington. “All too often, the story ends with a child aging out, becoming an adult without ever finding a permanent family.”
But that’s not the way the story ended for Thomas, whose name has been changed to protect his privacy. He was adopted eight years after his case was first opened in Fayette County family court.
“Thomas’ adoption was no accident. It was made possible in large part thanks to his CASA volunteer, Kelley Sloane,” Jamison said.
To honor Sloane for her dedication to helping Thomas, and for serving as a CASA volunteer for 10 years, CASA of Lexington gave her its first ever Volunteer Achievement Award.
Sloane was nominated for the award by CASA of Lexington Program Manager Jenifer Bahr, who supervised Sloane on her case.
“Kelley has gone above and beyond as a CASA volunteer,” Bahr said. “Kelley was not only a consistent presence in (Thomas’) life, she never stopped advocating for his best interest. She maintained consistent contact with everyone involved in the case and was not afraid to disagree with a recommendation when she knew it would not be what was best for the child.”
CASA volunteers are trained community members who typically spend 5-10 hours a month advocating for abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers visit with their assigned children regularly, talk to adults involved in the children’s lives and provide reports and recommendations to the judge on the case.
CASA volunteers often gather information no one else has the time to gather. Their reports help judges order more services and return children to safe permanent homes.
Sloane, who is currently taking a deserved break from volunteering, was presented with her Volunteer Achievement Award at a swearing in for new CASA volunteers May 24. The new volunteers had just completed their initial 30-hour training.
Jamison said Sloane logged more than 450 hours of volunteer work throughout the eight years she was appointed to advocate for Thomas.
“Those are just the documented hours,” Jamison said, adding that Sloane certainly contributed many more hours that didn’t get counted.
“Kelley was the only constant this young man had through his journey,” Jamison said.
While accepting the award, Sloane told the new CASA volunteers waiting to be sworn in that they were setting off on a “very rewarding journey” that is also “at times very difficult.”
“You’re going to see a lot that is heartbreaking sometimes,” she said. “And sometimes you’re going to feel like you can’t do everything you want to do.”
But, she added, if you stick with it, the rewards of serving as a CASA volunteer are priceless.
Sloane said she was recently visiting Thomas, who remains a close friend even after his case closed with a successful adoption.
“He said, ‘You know, I’m not sure I ever told you this, but I just want you to know how important you are to me, that you have followed me everywhere I’ve been.”
Sloane encouraged the new volunteers to also be there for children who need to know someone cares about them.
“You are always doing more than you probably think you are,” she said.