Get Involved
Help improve the lives of children in foster care 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 experiencing foster care and are appointed by the court to advocate for each child’s best interest. That’s their sole purpose.
What does a CASA volunteer do?
CASA volunteers:
- 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 to improve the child’s experience while in foster care and his/her overall well-being
- 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 this brief video about becoming a CASA volunteer
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 receive needed services and be placed in a safe, permanent home when reunification isn’t likely. CASA volunteers make a difference every day. You can, too. Become a volunteer.
FAQ’s
No. CASA volunteers are everyday citizens from all walks of life who care about children and their welfare. Your common sense, life experience, and desire to help is all you need to begin. You will be receiving special training and supervision to ensure you have a complete understanding of your role before you are assigned a case.
Once children and youth are taken into DFCS (Department of Family and Children Services) custody, their cases are overseen by judges in the juvenile courts who appoint CASA volunteers to focus on the child and provide recommendations to improve a child’s experience while in foster care, as well as the child’s overall well-being.
Social workers are employed by the state and often assigned many cases at a time. The social worker is responsible for helping an entire family, which includes setting up individual services for family members. A CASA volunteer is the advocate for the child, is not paid, works with only a few cases at a time, and does not set up services. The CASA volunteer does not replace the social worker on a case; he or she is an independent officer of the court and works within the child welfare system to improve children’s experiences while in foster care.
CASA volunteers are only appointed to children who have come to the attention of the juvenile court system due to abuse or neglect. Like a mentoring program, the CASA volunteer does develop a relationship with the child through frequent contact; however, the primary role of the CASA volunteer is to gather information about the child, write reports to the court, and attend court hearings. The CASA program is not a mentoring program.
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.
Savannah CASA (part of Brightside Child & Family Advocacy)
761 Wheaton St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Hollyn Green
912-447-8908
Website
Classroom Training
Wednesdays from 5 – 8 p.m.
October 16 – November 20
Orientations (online)
Justine Ferreira
404-292-8291
Website
Tuesday, October 22 at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, October 23 at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13 at 12 p.m.
Thursday, November 21 at 6 p.m.
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Jami Quinonez-Silverthorn
404-378-0032
Website
Thursdays from October 10 – November 14 (except October 31)
4 – 7 p.m.
Griffin, GA 30223
Madison Shetler
770-668-4177
Website
Classroom Trainings
Thursdays from August 22 – October 10
6 – 9 p.m.
Thursdays from January 16 – March 6
6 – 9 p.m.
Kesha Collier
470-251-2180
Website
Classroom Training
Thursdays from August 19 – October 14
6 – 9 p.m.
Cobb County Juvenile Court
32 Waddell St.
Marietta, GA 30090
Mari Garcia
770-528-2285
Website
Classroom Training
Saturdays and Wednesdays from October 5 – November 6 (except October 19)
Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays: 4 – 7:30 p.m.
Gainesville, GA
Tracy L. Verrigni
770-531-1964
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Tuesdays from September 10 – October 29
1 – 4 p.m.
Murray/Whitfield CASA
1529 Waring Rd.
Dalton, GA 30720
Tracy Harmon
706-428-7931
Website
Classroom Training
Thursdays from September 19 – December 5 (except October 31 and November 28)
Time TBD
Lisa Choeun
912-332-7152
Website
Online Training
October 15 – November 19
Chattahoochee CASA
1225 Third Ave.
Columbus, GA 31907
Keagan Clark
706-327-9612 x1510
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Thursdays from January 23 – February 27, 2025
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
2300 Walden Dr.
Augusta, GA 30904
Shana Thompson
706-834-1155 or 706-737-4631
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Mondays from September 16 – October 21
5:30 – 9 p.m.
CASA Office, Gilmer County Courthouse
1 Broad St.
Ellijay, GA 30540
Jason Turner
706-276-2272
Website
Information Sessions
2nd Wednesday of each month
10 a.m. – 12 noon
Classroom Training
Tuesdays and Fridays from October 8 – November 8
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
101 Commerce Pl., Suite 3
Barnesville, GA 30204
Mary Ann Leverett
478-394-0315
Website
Classroom Training
Thursdays from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
September 26 – November 14
CASA of Paulding County
165 N. Johnson St.
Dallas, GA
Angela Zenus
770-505-0065
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Mondays and Wednesdays from October 7 – 30
6 – 8:30 p.m.
510 Tebeau St.
Waycross, GA 31501
Jessica Blackrick
912-288-1401
Classroom Training
Begins October 5
1015 Exum St.
Nashville, GA 31639
Carol Kelly or Victoria Merritt
229-630-5155
Website
Classroom Training
Thursdays from August 29 – October 17
Starts at 5:30 p.m.
Matte Matthews
404-858-1219
Website
Online Training
Saturdays from September 7 – October 12
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Beth Morris
478-238-6318 x103
Website
Online Trainings
Begins October 21, January 27, 2025, April 7, 2025, and June 2, 2025
229-931-4488
Website
Online Training
Tuesdays and Thursdays from September 24 – October 17
6 – 9 p.m.
Major Events
February 13, 2025
Save the date for CASA Day at the Capitol in Atlanta.
April 23, 2025
Save the date for CASA on the Catwalk, our annual Luncheon & Fashion Show Fundraiser, in Buckhead.