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Change A Child’s Story.™

Children right here in Jasper County need adults

just like YOU to show up and speak up for them.

You can Change a Child’s Story.

Change A Child’s Story.™

Children right here in Jasper County need adults just like YOU to show up and speak up for them. You can Change a Child’s Story.

ONE stable RELATIONSHIP with ONE supportive ADULT can HELP a CHILD HEAL the past and build a healthier future.

You can be a CASA, too!

 We recruit volunteers, provide thorough training, observe as they take the CASA oath, appoint an advocate to a case, and guide them as they Change a Child’s Life. No volunteer experience compares to being a CASA.

You can Change a Child’s Story

Jasper County CASA empowers local volunteers to serve as advocates for children living the chaos of foster care. Our volunteer advocates ensure that a child’s physical and emotional health is provided for in a safe and loving home environment. CASA volunteers advocate for the best interest of each child.

Donating to CASA ensures that we can provide trained volunteers to serve children in foster care in our community. It helps us provide supervisors to guide the volunteers throughout the process. And it gives our CASA kids a home where they can interact with their advocate in a safe and secure homelike environment.

Mission and History

Jasper County CASA is dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting volunteer advocates from our community to serve children in Jasper County who have been abused and/or neglected and to ensure they are in a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible.

Debi Koelkebeck founded Jasper County CASA and trained the first eight volunteers in January of 2019. Debi was inspired to launch CASA in Jasper County while serving as an advocate in Newton County. More than five years later, Debi leads a staff of six in her role as a full-time VOLUNTEER executive director. Thanks to generous donors and a successful capital campaign also led by Debi, the CASA Training and Connection Center was completed in January 2023. It serves as safe, secure, home-like environment to conduct the business of CASA and host many visits of advocates and CASA kids.

Our Team

Each CASA Volunteer is assigned a supervisor who will guide them on their journey as an advocate for a child in foster care. The supervisor provides initial training and continual support throughout the case. Supervisors attend team meetings and court hearings with volunteers. They are available to assist with the day-to-day challenges of case management. Volunteers are not on this journey alone. Our team is always there to lend support.

Events & Training

The journey on this one-of-a-kind experience as a CASA volunteer begins with comprehensive training. The training covers a range of subjects, including domestic violence, mental health, and substance abuse. It also covers in detail stories of children and their situations, as examples of what volunteers may encounter. Training Sessions are offered throughout the year at our facility. We offer opportunities for day and evening training.

There is always more to learn to ensure our advocacy is in the best interest of the children we serve. Our volunteers can broaden their understanding and grow their confidence through continuing education. Each volunteer is required to complete 12 hours each year. This allows the opportunity to expand their knowledge, connect with other advocates, share experiences, and feel uplifted by our supportive CASA community.

Special events are held throughout the year to raise community awareness and funds for our mission. Light of Hope is a luncheon held at MSSU’s North End Zone in May and is attended by business and community leaders. A Home for the Holidays is an evening gala at Cornell Complex in November. Sponsorships are available for both events. Please contact us if you are interested.

Interested in learning more about Jasper County CASA?

Please visit our Contact Information page HERE, or fill out and submit the form below to have someone reach out to you soon. Thanks!