Gwinnett County seeks CASA volunteers to support foster children

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– Gwinnett County is seeking volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their primary caretakers. Gwinnett County’s Court Appointed Special Advocate program works to ensure every child in foster care has a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive.

Currently, more than 300 children in Gwinnett are living in foster care. While Gwinnett CASA volunteers work to amplify these children’s voices, the ongoing shortage of advocates means that many children have to navigate the court and foster care systems without a dedicated volunteer by their side. To support children served by the CASA program, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners accepted a grant worth up to $235,429.93 from Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates. The grant will be used to fund the salaries of the County’s CASA program director and three program supervisors.

Georgia CASA develops and supports community-based affiliate programs that recruit, train and supervise volunteers.

“While the grant provides financial support, the success of the program is driven by community members who are willing to step forward as volunteer advocates,” said Derek Brownlee, Director of Child Advocacy and Juvenile Services. “Court Appointed Special Advocates serve as a voice for children navigating complex foster care and court systems. They ensure the children are not navigating these systems alone. We encourage compassionate community members who want to help give these children a voice to consider volunteering with us.”

For more information about becoming a CASA volunteer, visit GwinnettCounty.com/CASA.