Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation Blog
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5/31/08Introducing Oglala Lakota CASA!In 1990, Congress passed the Victims of Child Abuse Act and encouraged the expansion of CASA (court appointed special advocates) programs throughout the nation. Founded in 1997, Oglala Lakota CASA (OLCASA) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting and promoting tribal court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children. OLCASA supports hundreds of children in crisis each year by recruiting and training volunteers to serve as CASA advocates. OLCASA currently has two dedicated staff members (an executive director and a child advocacy coordinator) and a small number of volunteers who perform many hours of work on each child's case. The advocates visit the children in foster homes and residential facilities, interview parents, caseworkers and medical professionals, and make recommendations to the court regarding the welfare of the children. Oftentimes an OLCASA advocate is the only constant in the turbulent lives of these children, many of whom are victims of sexual abuse. At present, OLCASA is advocating for nearly one hundred children ranging in age from newborn to 17 in the tribal court system. However, due to lack of resources, OLCASA is unable to help hundreds more who are in need. CASA organizations typically receive minimal grant funds from the national CASA umbrella organization and must recruit volunteers and raise additional monies in their own communities to fund the local work that they do on behalf of the children. Unfortunately, on the reservation, much of the population is living in poverty so there are few sources of funds available and OLCASA has undergone recent budget cuts, further reducing its ability to serve the children of the community. Local volunteers must not only donate their time but also cover all of their expenses out-of-pocket, including gasoline, to drive to and from the courts and other far-flung locations on behalf of the children. As in the rest of the country, the cost of gasoline on the reservation is skyrocketing and the advocates often have to travel over 100 miles per trip each way. The budget cuts and increased expenses are having a devastating effect on OLCASA's ability to recruit volunteers and the children they serve. OLCASA advocates for the children and you can advocate for OLCASA by becoming a long distance supporter. Please join us by helping traumatized children, the most vulnerable of the Pine Ridge Reservation population, and send a tax-deductible check or money order to
Oglala Lakota CASA Every dollar counts so any donation, large or small, will make an impact on the well being of the kids! OLCASA will soon have a PayPal account and I will announce that address here as soon as it is available. Since OLCASA is new to the Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation family, I'd like to kick off our support for them by encouraging you to become one of at least 100 donors to join in our 100-Item Challenge campaign by pledging to donate $100 in any increment to OLCASA between now and December 31, 2008. If you'd like to break it down into six monthly donations starting in June, you'll only need to send $17 a month! You'll find more info on the fundraiser here. Thank you so much for making an investment in the future of a Lakota child! |