CASA of the South Plains volunteer Advocate, Barbara Malone will be honored this Thursday, January 28th during the Lubbock Area United Way annual meeting at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Banquet Hall. Barbara has served as a CASA Advocate for 16 years. She has served over 30 children and committed over 2,800 hours to the lives of abused and neglected children in the foster care system, never faltering in her journey to find them permanency. Barbara’s knowledge and recommendations are sought out by CASA staff, judges and CPS caseworkers alike.

Most notably, Barbara advocated for a sibling group who had been in care for four long years. The oldest was able to find a long term placement and aged out. The younger went through several foster homes and a failed adoptive home during her journey. Barbara never stopped believing that permanency could be achieved and refused to accept that the youngest child had “too many behaviors” to find a forever home. Towards this end, Barbara sat down at a table with everyone else appointed to the case to select an adoptive family for her CASA child. Barbara was the only one not paid for her time, yet she was also the person with the most knowledgeable recommendations. Finally, an adoptive home was selected. When the adoption was consummated the child described Barbara as “sweet, like a grandma, she is the best person ever.”

“It is rewarding to know that I have reached out to children in our community, and tried to make the situation they find themselves in, through no fault of their own, a little less traumatic,” said Barbara Malone, CASA Volunteer Advocate.

For questions or for more information about how to become a CASA, please contact Amanda Norfleet, Recruitment Director at (806) 763-2272 or via email at amandan@lubbockcasa.org.

About CASA of the South Plains
CASA of the South Plains empowers community members to serve as volunteer Advocates that speak for the well-being of abused and neglected children in the foster care system.
Court appointed special advocates are community members just like you who ensure each foster child’s needs remain a priority in an over-burdened child welfare system while working to find safe, permanent homes for these most vulnerable children.

CASA’s Impact
1. More than 90% of children with CASA Advocates never re-enter the child welfare system.
2. Children with a CASA Advocate spend 5 months less in foster care.
3. CASA Advocates donated 9,296 hours in 2014, saving county taxpayers more than $370,960 in county paid attorney fees.

How You Can Help
1. Become a CASA Advocate – more than 700 children are without the assistance of an Advocate in the South Plains.
2. Become a CASA donor – it costs CASA $1,500 to recruit and train each Advocate.
3. Host a CASA 101 – CASA will come to your business and educate your staff about its mission and goals.

To learn how to become an Advocate or to donate, please visit www.casaofthesouthplains.org or call (806) 763-2272.

(News release from the Lubbock Area United Way)