New College Graduate Discovers CASA Volunteering — And Loves It
CASA Volunteer Olivia Mattox
Olivia Mattox was nearing graduation from the University of Kentucky in 2020 when a long-time friend and sorority sister came to her and suggested she become a CASA volunteer.
“She knows I love children and I have a heart for helping kids,” Olivia said. “She told me, ‘I don’t know what you’re doing after college, but if you’re interested, I think you would make an amazing CASA volunteer.”
Olivia’s friend, Megan Campbell, was already a CASA volunteer with CASA of Lexington. Olivia signed up for CASA volunteer training after graduation and was sworn in during the summer of 2021. She made a new friend in training and the two were assigned to work a case together.
Olivia visited the children on their case regularly, even when the children were placed in different homes so it meant multiple visits each month.
"Olivia helped gather records from more than six schools the children had attended, as well as from multiple medical and therapeutic providers," said Melynda Jamison, CASA of Lexington Executive Director. "She earned the respect of professionals on the case for her thoroughness in information gathering. She also earned the respect of the children's mother, who appreciated how she developed relationships with the children."
Because of her hard work on behalf of children over the past 10 months, Olivia has been named one of CASA of Lexington's Volunteers of the Month for July.
Olivia said she likes how serving as a CASA volunteer helps her see things from different perspectives.
"It forces you to look at situations with a different lens," she said. "And I think that's something that not everybody can do."
Olivia is also a professional nanny, something she loves because she gets to work with children all day. She's glad she has also found CASA so she can do even more for kids in need.
"If you are bored with your day-to-day and you want a purpose, and if you want to help kids but you don't know how, I would recommend CASA," she said. "I wish I had known about it sooner."