KAPPA ALPHA THETA EPSION PHI CHAPTER
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

 

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. They are trained community volunteers appointed by a judge to speak up for abused and neglected children in court. With the information provided by CASA volunteers, judges are able to make informed decisions as to what is best for the child - foster care, reunification, or adoption, and in a more timely fashion, so these children still have a chance at childhood.

Often, grossly under-funded state courts are forced to rush through cases, and if the client in question is a child, this can have huge consequences.  It takes time and effort to truly assess a child’s situation, time that the state system simply does not have due to the sheer number of cases they must deal with each day.  As a result, misrepresented children can ricochet between foster homes for years because no one is there to advocate for them; this is where CASA steps in. With the information provided by CASA volunteers, judges are able to make informed decisions regarding the best interests of the child.  A placement into foster care, reunification, or adoption can take place in a more timely fashion, so these children have a chance at childhood.  Every year, CASA volunteers help approximately 280,000 abused or neglected children find safe and permanent homes.

To learn more about CASA please visit their website:www.nationalcasa.org

Theta College and alumnae chapters/clubs help by raising money for CASA programs, providing office support, making toys or items for CASA children, hostessing events for CASA children or by becoming CASA volunteers themselves.

Mr. University is the Epsilon Phi chapter's annual fundraiser for CASA.  The Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation awards a biennial grant to the National CASA Association to support their toll free phone number, educational materials and displays for volunteers, and the Kappa Alpha Theta Program Director of the Year. Unrestricted dollars contributed by generous individuals, collegiate chapters and alumnae chapters/clubs to the annual fund drive conducted by the Foundation support the grant to CASA.