Our Mission

Voices for Children/CASA provides well-trained court appointed volunteers to speak on behalf of child victims of abuse and neglect who are in foster care in the three county 32nd and 33rd Judicial Circuits of Missouri.

Over 600 Children...

In our own area, the 32nd and 33rd Judicial Circuits of Missouri which includes Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi, Perry and Scott counties, over 610 children are currently in foster care due to child abuse and neglect. These children are innocent victims who need a voice in the system. Each of these children will end up in court and a judge will decide their future. A Voices for Children/CASA volunteer can speak on behalf of the child and provide the Court with additional information to allow them to make the most informed decision possible as to what is in the best interest of the child. We work hard to make sure that a child's voice is heard in this process.

Volunteers that care...

Voices for Children/CASA volunteers are just that: voices for children who are in the system. Their role is vital to the future of foster children in our community. They make important visits, facilitate the delivery of services to the child and family, advocate on behalf of the child to the Court, and monitor the progression of the case until it is resolved. Voices/CASA volunteers work with a team of professionals to expedite a safe, permanent placement for each child, and to ensure that the system fulfills its’ responsibilities to each child.

Promising futures...

There are no easy answers, and each of these cases takes time and effort to work through the legal system. With the assistance of a trained CASA volunteer, each child spends an average of a year less in the system. Our program provides trained community volunteers who are willing to invest time to make a difference in a child’s life. The challenge we face is that we need more volunteers who are willing to advocate for a child, to serve as their voice and in return to receive a challenging and rewarding opportunity to help a child to have a more promising future!

Volunteer