CASA encourages you to become a champion for local children

Organization in dire need of volunteers - News 11's Adonis Albright takes a closer look at their critical mission

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Casa of Yuma County has been around since the 1990's, advocating for abused and neglected children in the foster care system. The organization's work has been instrumental in helping kids in the community navigate what is often the toughest part of their young lives.

As the organization has grown, so too has its need for volunteers. The pandemic has made that need more dire. The need for bilingual volunteers is particularly high given Yuma's large Latino community.

“We really are in need, we are really short-staffed. Because a lot of grandparents take care of the grandkids, and they are Spanish speakers only", said Xochitl Villanueva, a volunteer at Casa of Yuma County.

At a time where the pandemic has upended most things, the crucial work these volunteers do has never been more necessary. For Rusty Tyndall, a Casa advocate and peer coordinator, he knows first-hand how rewarding this kind of work can be.

“Unfortunately the [foster] situation got a little bit worse for the parent, and so our daughter and son-in-law ended up fostering the baby for a long period of time, and eventually adopted our grandson.” 

He was nominated and won the judge's award for casa last year for his efforts in advocating for kids in need.

Volunteers would typically need to travel to Phoenix or another big city for an introductory training workshop. However, with the pandemic, everything has been virtual. This is good news for those who may be interested in volunteering but may not be able to travel.

For those interested in applying, you will have to fill out some paperwork and pass a routine background check. From there, you will take a weeks-long course to get familiar with the process of the court system.

For those who want to get involved but may be intimidated by the learning curve, there's also something called "co-casa", where a mentor can take on a case with you and show you the ropes.

"It was good to utilize the experience of a veteran casa when you're starting out, everybody has the advantage of having a peer coordinator who kind of helps walk you through, but a co-casa you actually work side by side on the actual case", said Tyndall.

To learn more about the work that Casa of Yuma County does, and how you can get involved, visit their website.