LEXINGTON, Kentucky (April 20, 2020) — CASA of Lexington’s Volunteers of the Month for May 2020 are William Saunders and Gail Tingle.

William Saunders

William Saunders is the kind of person who can connect with any kid, anywhere.

“He tailors his approach to each child, depending on age and need,” said Mary Beth, William’s volunteer manager at CASA of Lexington. “I’ve seen him play trucks on the floor with a developmentally delayed child, and I’ve seen him turn the tables on a shy, quiet teenager, allowing her to ask questions of him.”

That ability to meet kids where they’re at and help them is why CASA of Lexington chose William as one of its Volunteers of the Month for May 2020.

As a court-appointed special advocate volunteer, William is assigned to the cases of abused and neglected children in the Fayette County family court system. He spends time each month with his assigned child or children; interviews family members, foster parents and other adults involved with the children; then files a report for a judge to read before each court appearance.

“My love of volunteering with CASA is because it reaches out to all families in need, regardless of race, financial situation or the parents’ political affiliation,” William said. “It takes a village to raise a child. I’m just one of those people that’s going to help take care of that child."

William has been an advocate with CASA of Lexington since May 2019. He is one of fewer than two dozen male CASA volunteers for CASA of Lexington.

The low number of male volunteers is something the organization is actively working to change.

“It is wonderful to provide a child with a CASA volunteer they automatically have things in common with,” explained Melynda Jamison, CASA’s executive director. "Around half of our children are boys. Many have never had a positive male influence in their lives. Unfortunately, only 7% of our volunteers are male.”

William has also advocated on behalf of CASA in Frankfort and he has many connections to underserved populations in Fayette County, Mary Beth said. Most importantly, he is there for the kids he is assigned.

“He takes note of what is important to each child and then makes the effort to show up,” she said. “He attends their dance competitions and joins them for lunch at school.”

William said working with his CASA kids is very rewarding and fulfilling. He feels it’s his duty to give back to his community, and this is a way he accomplishes that.

“I know sometimes we have such a vast amount of kids out there that can fall through the cracks,” he said. “Let me speak personally to the African-American community. There’s some big gaps and things that go on in our community, such as financial gaps, educational gaps …”

Helping kids through CASA is one way he helps address those gaps. And he loves bumping into kids he used to have on a case later on, who still remember him.

“That’s fulfilling to me,” he said. “So I guess I’ll be a CASA volunteer until they tell me I can’t do it anymore."

Gail Tingle

Gail Tingle has been also been named one of CASA of Lexington's Volunteers of the Month for May.

Tingle has been a CASA volunteer for more than three years, during which time she’s been assigned to six different cases in Fayette County.

Her current case is expected to close soon and she has agreed to accept a seventh this month.

Her volunteer manager, Dennis Stutsman, said Gail, a former court mediator for divorce, shows dedication and patience while working on behalf of abused and neglected kids.

“Her current case involves two young children who faced removal because of insufficient parental supervision, which resulted in physical abuse” by another adult, according to Stutsman. “Gail has been very patient working on her case, and she works thoughtfully with collateral sources, including relatives and foster parents. She has been very active in seeking referrals and supportive services to meet the family’s needs, and she works great with bio parents, too.”

Gail said she discovered CASA when she was looking for a way to volunteer that would help children in her community. Her two most recent cases resolved or are resolving with the children being reunited with a biological parent.

“That’s a great feeling to have these children going back to be with their mother,” Gail said. “One case where the child did have to be removed — I was glad because the child was not in a good situation at all."

Gail said it makes her feel good to know that the reports she submits to the judge have helped her cases reach successful resolutions.

“All my experiences have been learning experiences,” she said of her time as a CASA. “Each case just presents a while new venue for me to learn about.”

About CASA of Lexington

CASA of Lexington’s trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court system to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children.  The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child’s future. Learn more or let us know you’re interested in volunteering at casaoflexington.org or by calling (859) 246-4313.

TL;DR — You can join the #KYGives20 movement on or before May 12 by giving to CASA of Lexington, to help us provide court-appointed special advocates to abused and neglected children in the family court system.

When Sadie was assigned her court-appointed special advocate, she had already been through a lot. The 8-year-old had no stable family member who was willing to care for her. As a result, she was forced to find shelter with anyone who would take her.

(Sadie’s name and details about her have been changed to protect her identity)

Sadie frequently moved from place to place and school to school, somehow remaining unnoticed by social services and other caring adults. But when her situation was finally recognized and a court case was opened, the judge appointed CASA of Lexington — and Sadie gained one of the first stable, positive adult influences in her life.

There are hundreds of children like Sadie in the family court systems of Fayette, Bourbon and Woodford counties — there were 1,346 petitions for child abuse or neglect in 2019 alone. Fortunately, CASA of Lexington’s trained volunteers were there to help more than 600 children on their paths back toward safe, happy and permanent homes.

These kinds of nonprofit success stories are what KYGivesDay is all about. Set for May 12, 2020, #KYGives20 is the culmination of a statewide movement to support nonprofits and all the invaluable services they provide to their communities. Nonprofit work like CASA’s is often done quietly and behind-the-scenes, but it is essential to the whole community’s success.

When we can give a child a happy childhood, we also give her a happier adulthood. She is more likely to do well in school, more likely to go to college or find a good job, more likely to break the cycle of abuse and show love to children in her own life.

CASA of Lexington is already helping so many kids. But unfortunately, Kentucky is No. 1 in the nation for child abuse. There are hundreds more children just in our service area that need a CASA volunteer. You can help meet that need by giving to CASA of Lexington for #KYGives20, or by becoming a volunteer yourself.

You can give at a suggested donation level or whatever amount you’re comfortable with at bit.ly/casakygives20. Your donation is tax-deductible, and when you donate, we’ll loop you in on CASA of Lexington news and volunteering opportunities.

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SO YOU KNOW: Being a CASA volunteer is a serious commitment, but it can also be seriously rewarding. After an initial 30-hour pre-service training, new volunteers are sworn in by a judge and assigned the case of a child or children in the family court system. Volunteers spend 6-10 hours a month visiting with their child or children, interviewing adults connected with the child and writing reports for the judge. We ask all volunteers to commit to two years of service to ensure CASA children won’t have to change volunteers partway through their cases. Learn more and fill out an initial application at casaoflexington.org/volunteer.

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (April 20, 2020) — CASA of Lexington’s Volunteers of the Month for April 2020 are Judy Horne and Kim Skidmore.

Judy Horne

Judy and her husband, Mike, have been CASA volunteers since February 2018. They work on cases in Bourbon County.

Judy’s current volunteer manager, Beka Schwartz, said she is an incredible volunteer who truly puts her heart and soul into helping the children on her cases.

“She had a case close that she worked for nearly two years with her husband,” Schwartz said. “In that case, they helped two parents who had hit rock bottom maintain sobriety, regain housing, maintain employment and find a support system.”

The children in that case were able to return home where they could live safe and happy lives — fulfilling the primary goal of CASA’s work.

On her current case, Judy has fought tirelessly for the best interests of a little girl, even when that has resulted in some tough decisions.

“Judy continued to push to move the little girl to a parent’s home. Even though the little girl stopped talking to her, Judy didn’t give up,” Schwartz said. “Now, she is excelling in school and in her home life. Judy has never given up on her tough cases and continues to serve CASA with her whole heart.”

Judy said she heard about CASA through her church.

“I think the thing that is most rewarding about it is how people become family to you that you didn’t know before,” she said. “I think that’s it — the relationships and the fact that you make a difference in people’s lives.”

Judy said serving as a CASA volunteer is time-consuming but rewarding work.

“It’s wonderful and it’s rewarding,” she said. “You do spend more time than you ever think you would."

Kim Skidmore

Kim Skidmore has been a CASA volunteer in Fayette County since May 2018.

“She often goes above and beyond for her cases,” said Cara Macleod, Kim’s volunteer manager. “She meets with teachers, therapists and other interested parties to gather information about the parents and the children.”

While CASA volunteers usually only take on one case at a time, Skidmore has accepted three cases at the same time. That’s because while she was working on two cases, one of her old cases re-opened and a judge asked for a CASA Volunteer.

“When seeking a volunteer, she was willing to say yes to this third case,” Macleod said. “She has many abilities, but I find her greatest asset to be her ability to work with so many different individuals on a case.”

Kim said as a preschool director, she has made calls to social services before, but being a CASA volunteer gave her a fresh perspective.

“It was just interesting to see how the kids had no voice. Who was speaking for the kid? And who asked for things to be done for the child?” she said.

Serving a CASA volunteer, she’s been able to “connect the dots” and help get kids services they need. She’s also been able to speed up case resolutions, getting kids back into safe, permanent homes faster.

“That’s why I love doing it,” she said. “If you love kids and you enjoy doing something that is rewarding and helpful, it is the best thing that you could do."

About CASA of Lexington

CASA of Lexington’s trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court system to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children.  The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child’s future. Learn more or let us know you’re interested in volunteering at casaoflexington.org or by calling (859) 246-4313.

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (April 23, 2020) — CASA of Lexington was featured on LEX 18 at Sunrise this morning. Reporter Claire Kopsky detailed the need for more CASA volunteers in anticipation of a spike in reported child abuse and neglect cases after the current pandemic restrictions are lifted.

You can watch the video here or visit LEX18.com:

You can sign up to volunteer and learn about other ways to support CASA of Lexington during the current pandemic at casaoflexington.org/covid19.

About CASA of Lexington

CASA of Lexington’s trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court system to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children.  The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child’s future.

For more information, contact Ben Kleppinger, community engagement coordinator, at bkleppinger@casaoflexington.org or (859) 200-7266.

Nonprofit needs more volunteers to speak for abused and neglected children

Online: casaoflexington.org/covid19

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (April 22, 2020) — Life has shut down in many ways during the COVID-19 pandemic, but CASA of Lexington is gearing up for a possible spike in reported cases of child abuse and neglect after restrictions are lifted.

“I do have concerns that there are children out there and probably many cases that have not been reported and so maybe the children are not receiving services that they should,” said Melynda Jamison, executive director. "I expect that when children are back in schools, hopefully come August, that we will see a significant increase."

With school out for the rest of the year, some children who already lived in homes where they were at risk of abuse or neglect are now spending all their time in those homes. In other homes, job losses, tight living spaces and the stress of living through a pandemic increases the risk for abusive or neglectful behavior by caretakers.

People in the homes where abused or neglected children live often are not the ones to report neglect or abuse; it’s not until more eyes are on a child at school that suspected abuse or neglect can be identified.

"Here at CASA of Lexington, we’re working to be prepared for that and ready to tackle that challenge,” Jamison said. "It’s going to be more important than ever that we have CASA volunteers ready to step into those cases and take them.”

CASA of Lexington has launched a COVID-19 response page on its website at casaoflexington.org/covid19, which helps anyone find a way they can help. New CASA volunteers can now sign up to take their initial 30-hour training online, and an application to begin the process is available on the website.

Supporters who cannot commit to being a CASA volunteer right now can still donate to CASA of Lexington, which has seen its recent fundraising efforts impacted by the cancellation or rescheduling of several major events. Anyone can also sign up to be a Friend of CASA and give of their time and skills in other ways than being a CASA volunteer.

About CASA of Lexington

CASA of Lexington’s trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court system to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children.  The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child’s future.

For more information, contact Ben Kleppinger, community engagement coordinator, at bkleppinger@casaoflexington.org or (859) 200-7266.

All proceeds from virtual fun run on April 18 benefit CASA of Lexington

(April 10, 2020) CASA of Lexington is challenging runners, walkers and anyone who just wants to get some exercise while staying healthy at home to help log a mile for every local child who was abused or neglected last year.

A "virtual fun run" — organized by John's Run/Walk Shop and benefiting CASA — is being held on Saturday, April 18. We hope to get enough people participating to collectively walk and run 1,346 miles — one mile for every new petition of child abuse and neglect in Fayette, Bourbon and Woodford counties in 2019.

Participating in the fun run is easy. You can register for free or for a donation amount of your choice by visiting johnsrunwalkshop.com, clicking on "Keep Moving Forward" and choosing the April 18 date for CASA's fun run. Or click here to visit the registration page directly.

When you log your miles, let us know on Twitter (@CASAofLexington), Facebook (@lexingtoncasa) or Instagram (@casaoflexington), so we can celebrate and all run/walk together online.

"For these runs, there won't be any shirts, there won't be any medals, and the only way we can support you is in spirit," John's Run/Walk Shop explains. "Instead, 100% of the proceeds from these runs will be going to local charities. Additionally, with the future looking uncertain for so many people, the cost of participating in these runs is entirely up to you."

You won't be running or walking alone: CASA volunteers, staff and board members have been invited to participate. And even CASA's certified service dog Matilda plans to log miles from her morning and afternoon walks.

We may not be able to come together physically right now to support CASA's mission of ensuring all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. But there's also something powerful about hundreds or even thousands of people around Kentucky and beyond coming together virtually while each doing their own small part from home. We hope you'll join us and run or walk for the kids on April 18.

You can register for the virtual fun run here: https://www.runsignup.com/Race/KY/Lexington/KeepMovingForwardforCASAofLexington

About CASA of Lexington

CASA of Lexington’s trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court system to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children. The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child’s future. For more information on CASA of Lexington, to volunteer or make a donation visit the website at www.casaoflexington.org.