Get Involved
Help improve the lives of foster children in your community by getting involved with CASA.
Become a CASA Volunteer
CASA volunteers are everyday people from all walks of life who do exceptional work. They are trained to advocate for the well-being of Georgia’s children in foster care and are appointed by the court to speak up for a child’s best interests. That’s their sole purpose.
What does a CASA volunteer do?
CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the court. They:
- Establish a stable, one-on-one relationship with a child in foster care and get to know the child’s unique history
- Gather information from anyone who can shed light on the child’s situation – teachers, foster parents, family members, physicians, etc.
- Help the child plan and develop age appropriate goals
- Ensure the child has access to needed medical, education, career, and housing services
- Attend court proceedings (usually every six months) and make an informed, independent recommendation to the judge about what is in the child’s best interests
- Bring a sense of urgency to the child’s needs and promote safety
- Advocate for timeliness and permanency for children involved in juvenile court proceedings
Remain involved until the case is permanently resolved to keep the focus on the child
Learn more about a CASA volunteer’s role and purpose
Check out some frequently asked questions
“Children are in need of dreams; children entering juvenile court have no dreams or hope for the future. CASA gives them that hope and helps them to understand that what has happened to them is not their fault; they are not defective or substandard. CASA volunteers are there to help a child rise above it all.”
Five Steps to Make a Difference
The actions of a single person — a CASA volunteer — can mean everything to a child in foster care. A child with a CASA is more likely to get needed services and be placed in a permanent, stable home. CASA volunteers make a difference every day. You can, too. Become a volunteer.
FAQ’s
Our volunteers answer your questions
To get a real-world view of volunteering with CASA, check out our Ask A CASA videos. Our volunteers respond to frequently asked questions in their own words, based on their personal experiences as CASA volunteers.
Still have questions?
Find a Program
Georgia CASA currently supports 47 affiliate programs serving 151 counties. To find a program near you, use our Program Directory to search by county or name of the program.
Develop an Affiliate Program
If your county is not being served, learn how you can support developing a CASA program to help the abused and neglected children in your community.
Program Training
A schedule of upcoming Volunteer Training sessions appears below for affiliate CASA programs that have requested to be listed. If you don’t see a particular program listed, please contact the program directly.
Marie Townsend
casatownsend@gmail.com
tlccasa@bellsouth.net
478-275-8100 ext. 2
Flex Training
Begins August 8
Coastal Plain CASA
113 E. 2nd St.
Tifton, GA 31794
Darcie Norton
dnorton@cpcasa.org
Website
229-386-9765
Orientation
September 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Training
Mondays from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. from September 24 – October 29
Dalton, GA 30720
Tracy Harmon
t.harmon@familysupportcouncil.com
Facebook
706-428-7931
Orientation
Monday, August 27 at 6:00 p.m.
Training
Begins Monday, September 10 and lasts for 10 weeks
5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
1015 Exum Rd.
Nashville, GA 31639
Elaine Grice
egrice@fccisberrien.org
229-686-6576 x4
Orientation
Monday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Training
Tuesdays from September 18 – November 13
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Juvenile Court of Cobb County
32 Waddell St.
Marietta, GA 30090
Mari Garcia/Elissa Peters
mari.garcia@cobbcounty.org
elissa.peters@cobbcounty.org
770-528-2216
Trainings
Tuesdays and Thursdays from October 9 – November 6
4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Paula Malmfeldt
pdmalmfeldt@forsythco.com
770-886-4082
Training
Thursdays from September 13 – November 1
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Outreach Center
515 Denmark St.
Statesboro, GA 30458
Kristen Kramer
admin@casaogeechee.org
912-764-4849
Training
Mondays from August 20 – October 22 OR Thursdays from August 23 – October 25
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
428 Bull St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Samantha Oughtred
samantha@savannahcasa.org
912-663-9728
Website
Training
Wednesdays from August 22 – September 26
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Gregory A. Adams Juvenile Justice Center
4309 Memorial Dr.
Decatur, GA 30032
Justine Ferreira
justine.ferreira@dekalbcasa.org
404-378-0038
Website
Orientations
Monday, October 22 at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, October 23 at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, November 13 at 6:15 p.m.
Training
Thursdays on October 11, 18, 25, November 8 and 15
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Fulton County CASA
Romae T. Powell Juvenile Justice Center
395 Pryor St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30312
Elizabeth Witherspoon
joinus@fultoncountycasa.org
404-613-4720
Website
Orientations
September 24, October 8 & 22, November 5, December 3 & 17 (Mondays, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
September 19, October 3 & 17, November 14 & 28, December 12 (Wednesdays, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Trainings
September 11 – October 16 (Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. )
October 11 – November 15 (Thursdays, 5:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m.)
January 5 – February 9, 2019 (Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
The Little House
603 Washington St. SW
Gainesville, GA
Heather Hammontree, Program Coordinator
halldawsoncasa@halldawsoncasa.org
770-531-1964
Website
Traditional/Classroom Training
Tuesdays from August 7 – October 9, 2018
Swear-in October 11, 2018
Gilmer County Courthouse
1 Broad Street, Suite 201
Ellijay, GA 30540
Melanie Davis
advocacy@appalachiancasa.com
706-276-2272
Website
Training
Tuesdays and Fridays from October 6 – November 9
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Children First, Inc.
693 N. Pope St.
Athens, GA 30601
Emily Dant
info@athensoconeecasa.org
706-613-1922 ext. 4
Orientation
Tuesday, September 11 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. OR 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Flex Training
Tuesdays from September 27 – November 1
Clayton County Juvenile Justice Building/Luvenia Jackson Resource Room
9163 Tara Blvd.
Jonesboro, GA 30236
Griffin Shirley
griffin.shirley@claytoncountyga.gov
678-610-1061
Training
Fall: September 5 – October 8 (Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. OR 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
Wimberly Center
163 MLK Jr. Dr.
Winder, GA 30680
Michelle Black
mblack@piedmontcasa.org
470-429-5055
Website
Flex Training
Thursdays from August 30 – October 4
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Conyers, GA 30012
Michele Benton
trainer@rockdalecasa.org
770-761-0202
Website
Training
Thursdays from September 6 – October 25
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
424 N. Main St.
Cedartown, GA 30125
Jennifer O’Neal
contact@polkharalsoncasa.org
678-901-1021
Website
Training
Mondays and Wednesdays from August 20 – September 26
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Mary Ann Leverett
mleverett@tacourts.com
478-394-0315
Facebook
Jackson Training Location:
Life Enrichment Team Building
151 Mimosa Ln.
Jackson, GA 30233
Barnesville Training Location:
Towaliga CASA
101 Commerce Pl., Suite 3
Barnesville, GA 30204
Training
Jackson Location:
Thursdays from 5:45 p.m. – 8:25 p.m. from September 13 – November 1
Barnesville Location:
Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. from September 15 – November 3
Houston County Juvenile Justice Complex
206 Carl Vinson Pkwy.
Warner Robins, GA 31088
Rieka Audain
raudain@houstoncountyga.org
478-396-2185
Website
Training
Mondays and Thursdays from September 10 – October 11
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Jamiallah C. Jackson
jjackson@atlanticareacasa.com
912-876-3816
Website
Flex Training
September 17 – October 19
Major Events
February 2019
February 14, 2019
Save the date for our annual CASA Day at the Capitol event!
March 2019
March 2019
Our CASA on the Catwalk (Luncheon & Fashion Show) annual fundraising event will be held in March. Actual date TBA.
August 2019
August 3, 2019
Save the date for the annual Georgia CASA Conference, to be held at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly.