August 17, 2021 – Macon County CASA has been awarded a Core Model Grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children as well as a local grant from the United Way of Decatur and Mid Illinois. Funds will be used to hire program staff, to recruit, train, and assign new volunteers to represent the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Work done under these grants will target key populations such as rural youth.
There are nearly 950 CASA/GAL programs nationwide, including 49 state offices, supporting volunteers who work on behalf of children in the child welfare system. Their advocacy enables judges to make the most well-informed decisions for each child.
The grants will enable Macon County CASA to expand their advocacy services into DeWitt County. After 23 years of work in Macon County, CASA is excited to focus on now also advocating for the needs of at-risk and underserved youth in neighboring DeWitt County. Volunteers will also mentor youth, helping them increase their level of connectivity with community and family, improve educational outcomes, and reach stable placements.
“Our work in Macon County for 23 years has been valuable for the Juvenile Advocacy court & judges, biological and foster parents, community volunteers, and most importantly our community’s foster children who have been abused and neglected. We are thrilled at this new opportunity to expand our services into a county which has not previously had CASA advocacy. There is a population of children in foster care who need our help and with National CASA and the United Way of DeWitt County’s contributions, we are now able to receive assignments to advocate for DeWitt County’s children as well,” said Julia Roundtree Livingston, Executive Director of Macon County CASA.
The federal grant funds distributed through National CASA/GAL are provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Department of Justice, as authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.
Funding from the United Way of DeWitt County comes directly from DeWitt County citizens and businesses contributing to community service, growth and sustainability for local families and children.
Photo courtesy of Macon County CASA.
