By donating to Lone Star CASA today, you can help a child experiencing abuse and neglect glimpse into a brighter tomorrow. Your year-end contribution will activate transformative change in the life of countless CASA kids and families. CASA kids rely on their advocate, and your financial contribution, to help them achieve stability and safety in order to fulfill their potential.
This Giving Season, we invite you to uncover stories of transformation with us. Each week we will reveal outcomes of a brighter tomorrow for Lone Star CASA children and families with help from our advocates and supporters like you.
Meet Jesse
Jesse’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance.
Jesse’s arrival into this world was anything but ordinary. Jesse wasn’t welcomed by the comforting embrace of a hospital room, but instead by the side of a desolate road. Upon arrival to the hospital, Jesse and his mother tested positive for amphetamines and he was removed from her care. When the Judge ruled that mom was unable to provide a safe home due to her ongoing battle with drug addiction, it came time to find a permanent placement for Jesse. At this time it was discovered that because of the traumatic location of his birth, Jesse didn’t have a birth certificate. With no legal proof of his very existence, Jesse couldn’t be adopted. His future now hung in limbo. Jesse’s CASA volunteer fought tirelessly in pursuit of this liberating document, and in doing so, echoed Jesse’s silent plea for a secure future. In court hearings, the advocate presented compelling arguments that resonated with the Judge. Finally, a twinkle of hope revealed itself when the Judge ordered the Bureau of Statistics to produce the long-awaited birth certificate. Although Jesse had endured complex uncertainty early in life, he was finally able to achieve recognition and the stability of a loving home due to the efforts of Lone Star CASA. With your support, we will ensure that each child in our care receives the attention and support they need to reach their full potential. Your year-end contribution will pave-way for a brighter tomorrow for CASA children like Jesse.
Meet Adrien
Adrien's story is a testament to the power of resilience.
Facing her own challenges, mom was unable to provide care for her two year old son with complex feeding needs. This left Adrien’s health to suffer. Authorities opened a neglect case when mom failed to attend doctor appointments and return any communications. Adrien had become severely malnourished, weighing just 15 pounds. Under these dire circumstances, Adrien was placed in foster care. When the court ordered a monitored return of Adrien to his father’s home, Adrien received the positive intervention he needed from both dad and grandma. Adrien’s father embraced the responsibility of transforming Adrien‘s health. With support from CASA, he enrolled Adrien in speech therapy and dad attended medical-service classes. Adrien‘s diet expanded from tube feeding to solid foods. In a few months, his weight climbed to 25 pounds and he began to form his first two-word phrases. With training and experience, Adrien’s advocate was equipped to mediate healthy communication between mom and dad. Dad was granted sole managing conservatorship by the court and mom was granted supervised visitation, allowing her to maintain a connection with Adrien while working towards her own recovery. Adrien’s advocate was able build a firm foundation of unified care that will ensure Adrien’s ongoing success. With your gift, we will continue to support our kids with unique medical needs and those with challenging family dynamics. Your year-end gift will reveal a brighter tomorrow for CASA kids like Adrien.
Meet Mikayla
Mikayla's story is a testament to the power of self-determination.
Now, a successful college student at UNT, Mikayla never let her past define her future. Mikayla’s success demonstrates that even in the face of adversity, foster care youth can accomplish remarkable things. While in care, she faced unstable school environments, insecure living situations, and discouragement from her peers. While she navigated the social and educational challenges that came with attending four different high schools and the instability of moving to three different foster homes, her CASA volunteer remained a constant, stable, trustworthy adult in her life. Mikayla believes that collective action can create a brighter tomorrow for all foster youth. She aspires to motivate others to advocate for positive change within the foster care system. “Why is it that I am not capable of success or at least shouldn’t be capable? Why shouldn’t any foster youth be capable? Every single foster youth is capable of success; it is just that the foster care system is not always capable of leading them to success. If enough people act, this may eventually decrease the statistics and create a better world for these youth who have only ever wanted a chance.” With your year-end gift, our children can depend on the stability of their advocate in times of hardship, such as their time spent in foster care, and also in times of joy and celebration.
