Central Georgia CASA celebrates 25 years

Central Georgia Appointed Service Advocates, or CASA, is celebrating a milestone.

MACON, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) – Central Georgia Appointed Service Advocates, or CASA, is celebrating a milestone.

The non-profit organization is celebrating 25 years of pursuing its mission to provide support advocacy for children in foster care.

Susanna Patterson, the Executive Director of Central CASA, says this is huge achievement for the organization.

“25 years in Macon-Bibb is a huge milestone,” Patterson said. “As we know, many non-profits don’t make it to 25 years, but we have, and we have done so through making this huge impact on the children that we serve in their lives, ensuring their safety, their permanency and their well being during their time in foster care and for years after.”

During its 25 years, CASA has helped more than 2,500 foster children thanks to the help of volunteers.

Patricia Solomon, who’s been a volunteer for two years, says she loves helping children.

“A lot of kids are not at an age where they can talk for themselves, so having someone as an advocate for them helps them to have a voice and help us to give them a voice to let them know what is being done,” she said.

Patterson says the volunteers are an important life line for foster children in Middle Georgia.

“That is the life blood of this organization, and so we need the community to partner with us as we continue to recruit those volunteers to do this vital work,” she said.

CASA is currently recruiting new volunteers.

If interested, you will be required to go through a five-session training and 10 hours of observation at juvenile court. The time commitment is 10 to 15 hours each month.