
Culture & Civic Life
Equal Justice Initiative
Since its founding in 1989, the Equal Justice Initiative has become a national powerhouse in the ongoing fight for racial and economic justice, th...
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Care Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Los Angeles is one of the largest local partners of the national CASA program in the United States. CASA pairs compassionate volunteer adults with abused or neglected foster children in the Los Angeles child welfare system. Through this relationship, an adult volunteer serves as a consistent supporter and advocate for a child in need. This advocacy includes "day-of-court" advocacy, in which CASA volunteers attend court with children who do not have a guardian or escort present. In court, CASA advocates often make recommendations to judges based on their personal knowledge of the situation and correspond with attorneys on behalf of young children. Volunteers are typically assigned by judges the most complex court cases, where the need is the greatest, and the volunteers become crucial anchors in the lives of these children. With such personalized intervention, CASA of Los Angeles provides a stable and reliable environment for foster children to navigate the welfare system and thrive.
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