Bourbon County CASA Volunteer shows up for kids in need
CASA Volunteer Delaney Thomas
After the third time someone told Delaney Thomas she should be a CASA volunteer, she figured there must be something to their suggestions.
“I took it as a sign and decided to apply,” Thomas said. “It’s truly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made — for both myself and my community.”
CASA volunteers like Thomas are matched with children who have suffered abuse or neglect. Each volunteer visits their child monthly and helps identify if they need anything to help them thrive.
Thomas has advocated for five children since she became a CASA volunteer. Her Volunteer Manager Weida Allen said Thomas has been an excellent advocate for young kids and teenagers alike.
“I value Delaney’s ability to work with all age groups,” Allen said. “Her reports are always spot-on and she is always there at every hearing for her CASA kids.”
Thomas has been named a CASA Volunteer of the Month for CASA of Lexington’s seven-county region because of her passion for helping kids and dedication to sharing CASA with others, the same way it was shared with her.
“Serving as a CASA volunteer is more than worth my time. Being a consistent, caring adult in a child’s life, without any agenda other than showing up for them, means something,” Thomas said. “That consistency builds trust and truly impacts their lives and their outcomes. It’s powerful and rewarding in a way that’s hard to put into words.”
CASA volunteers each give about 5 to 10 hours a month on average. That time includes visiting with the child, talking to people in the child’s life, review records, and writing reports about the child’s situation. CASA volunteers can help children get more services, do better in school, feel more hopeful for their futures, and be restored to safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible.
Thomas works full-time at the Kentucky Historical Society, paints watercolors and performs through Pixie Dust Playdates, “becoming good friends” with characters such as Merida, Anna, Rapunzel and others.
“You don’t need any special talents or legal experience to be a CASA volunteer,” she said. “All you need is compassion and a commitment to show up for these kids. Just caring and being there is enough — and it can make all the difference.”