CASA NYC

Last month 23 new volunteers were sworn in as Court Appointed Special Advocates by the Honorable Clark V. Richardson. They swore to faithfully advocate for the safety, well-being, and permanence of each child to whom they are assigned. With over 35 hours of pre-service training under their belt and a supportive staff supervisor by their side, they are ready to step in to help meet the needs and protect the rights of kids in foster care.

Today, on the #TransDayofVisibility, we stand in solidarity and support of trans* youth experiencing foster care, and beyond. We celebrate their unique experiences and recognize the distinctive challenges that they face. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people are over-represented in foster care, where they are more likely to experience discrimination, abuse, neglect, and the risk of harm. A 2019 study found 30% of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ and 5% as trans, compared to the 11% and 1% of youth not in foster care, respectively.

Chronic poverty, trauma, and structural racism destabilize families and put children at risk of foster care. #CASANYC helps families access housing, stable income, educational support, health and mental health services, and other supports they need - so they can bring their children home, safely and permanently. Learn more about how you can help CASA-NYC make a systemic impact through individual support at https://www.casa-nyc.org/

"That's what matters to us the mostyou guys show up and you don't have to show up." - Brieanna Hayes, CASA-NYC Youth Leadership Council Alumna #CASANYC volunteers never stopped showing up for youth in foster care during the pandemic, and they will keep showing up as long as they're needed to make sure young people aging out of the system are safe, stable, and healthy. Watch the full video and learn more about how you can show up for kids in foster care at the link below, because supporting CASA-NYC means supporting kids. https://www.casa-nyc.org/

This month we highlight Eddie Murphy as another #BlackLeader who exemplifies #BlackExcellence and has a connection to the foster care system. After Eddie’s father passed away, his mother dealt with a serious illness that meant Eddie and his brother, Charlie, needed to be cared for by a foster family. The boys were reunited with their mother a year later after she recovered. Eddie credits his time in foster care with making him realize how important it is to find something to laugh about in every situation, and has devoted his life to bringing joy and laugher to millions of audience members.

As a society, we have so many assumptions about why kids end up in foster care but did you know that the most common is an allegation of neglect? Neglect allegations are usually closely related to family poverty and trauma. #CASANYC volunteer Advocates help families stabilize so children can safely return home. Learn more about how CASA supports kids and how you can help at https://www.casa-nyc.org