Volunteers Needed To Assist Riverside County Foster Youth

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A year-end call went out Monday for Riverside County residents and others to consider signing on as volunteers to assist foster youth in need of representation to ensure their needs are met.

The non-profit Voices for Children said that 42 minors currently under the custodial care of the county Department of Public Social Services and its constituent agencies don't have court-appointed special advocates — CASAs — to help them.

That number is growing, Voices for Children President Jessica Munoz said.

"If you are looking for a way to make an immediate impact and give back to your community right now, I cannot think of a better way to do so than by becoming a CASA volunteer," Munoz said. "Our incredible volunteers have made a major difference for local children right here in our community, just by showing up as they are, listening to them and being a consistent adult presence in their lives."

In the previous fiscal year, Voices of Children's CASAs served 730 juveniles of various ages in Riverside County, according to the nonprofit.

There's a constant need for volunteers.

"Becoming a CASA volunteer was one of the best decisions I have ever made," Mariana Robles of Riverside said.

"You don't have to have any previous experience with the legal system, or even working with children. I find it so easy to spend at least 10 hours per month meeting with my case child, getting to know them, taking them on fun activities, attending meetings on their behalf and filling out court reports that help judges make the best choices for their future."

DPSS recognizes the work of CASAs via its "Partners" web portal, which can be found at https://rivcodpss.org/partners.

"CASAs are vital sources of support for children ... who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment," Voices for Children said. "Many feel very much alone, until they meet their CASA. A CASA often becomes the most consistent adult in a child's life, providing stability in a complicated system."

Volunteers often assist with representing their appointed child's position in welfare and other reports to the courts.

General information about CASAs is available at https://www.californiacasa.org/.

Details on where to find a training seminar is at https://www.speakupnow.org/volunteer/volunteer-information-session/.