He found the ‘cause that fits for me.’ It's CASA.

CASA Volunteer Michael Raulinaitis

Michael Raulinaitis is a single dad with two daughters, who have grown up into a nurse and a physical therapist. He works at the Toyota plant in Georgetown and likes to walk to the farmers market when he’s home in downtown Lexington.

A few years ago, he was looking for a way to do something that gave back to the community. He knew that life could be rough for kids when their home life is in disarray. Then, serendipity struck: He visited a booth at Lexington Comic Con promoting the local CASA program.

“It was then that I realized I had found a cause that fit for me,” he said.

As a CASA volunteer, Raulinaitis is matched with abused or neglected children. He visits the children monthly, gathers information about their lives, and provides reports that help get better outcomes for the children.

“I have seen kids go through the court system without a CASA or a voice,” he said. “I now see the impact that I have being an advocate for the kids.”

Raulinaitis has done great work for his current CASA kids – siblings in foster care whose future is uncertain as their parent struggles with substance misuse. Raulinaitis’ Volunteer Manager Kyrsten Adkins said he works collaboratively with the others on the case and has always been a strong voice for whatever would be in the children’s best interests.

“He has worked many cases and he is a great volunteer,” Adkins said. “He is not afraid to speak up for these kids. He is exceeding all expectations.”

Raulinaitis said he puts a lot of his efforts into building strong relationships with the children he serves.

“In all of my cases, the kids are shy at first, but when they realize you are coming to visit them and see how they are doing, they really grow to appreciate that,” he said. “With the older children, they cannot believe that I am visiting as a volunteer because I want to help and support them.”

It takes about 5-10 hours a month to serve as a CASA volunteer. Every volunteer completes a 30-hour training class before they are matched with a child, and they are guided by a Volunteer Manager like Adkins every step of the way.

“I am blessed to be in a position where I can help and give back to some in the community who need the most help,” Raulinaitis said. “If you have any interest, go through the extensive CASA training to really understand what is needed to be a volunteer. At that point, make a decision whether it is right for you.”