CASA of Lexington adds 11 new advocates for abused and neglected children
CASA of Lexington added 11 new volunteer advocates on Friday. The volunteers were sworn in by Fayette County Family Court Judge Tiffany Yahr after they completed a training class and took an oath of confidentiality.
The new CASA volunteers will now be matched with abused and neglected children in the family court system who need someone looking out for them and speaking up if they need anything.
"Everything you're doing is not only helping the courts, but most importantly helping that child that you're assigned to," Yahr told the new volunteers. "No matter where you end up, you will absolutely be a blessing to any of the children that get to meet you."
Volunteers with CASA of Lexington serve hundreds of children in seven central Kentucky counties, where nearly 2,000 new cases of child abuse and neglect occurred in 2024 alone. CASA volunteers spend time with their matched children monthly, giving them a positive, consistent person they can talk to. They also provide reports and make recommendations to judges that help prevent the system from overlooking children's needs.
Each CASA volunteer serves on average around two and a half children every year. The newly sworn volunteers may be able to help as many as 27 children over their first year.
"Child abuse and neglect is a root cause of so many problems we face today. But it's also a problem that's hiding in plain sight and difficult to do anything about as an individual," said Melynda Jamison, Executive Director of CASA of Lexington. "Serving as a CASA volunteer is the best way you can directly impact the life of one of these children, giving them — and all of us — a brighter future."
CASA of Lexington provides scheduled in-person trainings for new volunteers four times a year and custom in-person and online trainings for small groups regularly. The training to become a volunteer takes 30 hours. Serving as a volunteer requires 5-10 hours a month for a minimum of two years.
To learn more or apply to become a CASA volunteer, visit www.casaoflexington.org.
SO YOU KNOW
The 11 new CASA volunteers sworn in Friday are Anna Claire Reding, Arlette Dominguez, David Jones, Dawn Chewning, Jan Billingsley, Janie Johnston, Mireyda Angeles, Sherry Moss, Tina Middagh and Tracy Wells.
