Finding home for the holidays

Finding Home for the Holidays

No matter how kind and welcoming foster parents are, it is hard for a foster child to feel at home without their own family. It is even more difficult during the holidays, a time that celebrates family. A child may feel guilty for experiencing joy and laughter with their foster family. It may seem like they are letting their birth parents down, or betraying them. Perhaps they are worried about the struggles their parents are going through, for instance if their mother is homeless and the temperature is biting cold...

CASA Works

How CASA got Willa home for Thanksgiving

It was the end of a long week and they’d already made hundreds of decisions about scores of kids. Now all the professionals on Willa’s case were in the weeds of trying to figure out the best time for her to have a home visit with her mom. When Willa’s CASA joined them, she said, “How about Thanksgiving? It's next week.” There was a moment of silence, then a room full of smiles. Sometimes when people get mired in stacks of caseloads, rules, and minutiae, they lose sight of the individual. That's why boys and girls in foster care need CASAs - we are there to make sure our kids are always in focus.

Thank you for giving Willa, and hundreds of kids like her, the dedicated advocacy of Piedmont CASA Volunteers and Bridges to Success Coaches.

Giving Is The Best Part

CASAs are always giving to their kids

More than anything, CASA Volunteers want to give their child a safe, happy, and permanent home. But for now, they get to bring them a bag full of gaily-wrapped wishes come true - thanks to the generosity of our community!

Left to right: CASA Supervisors Steve Dufort, Alison Taravella and Kati Naess. Emerson Angels are ... Connie Conlon and Brenda Williams.

For 20 years, Emerson has been fulfilling Angel Tree wishes

Since 2004, the men and women of Emerson have been fulfilling wish lists for CASA kids. They pile the gifts on the loading dock, and a convoy of CASA Supervisors swing by to load them up and bring them to the office for Volunteers to pick up and deliver to their kids.

Emerson Angels left to right: Jennifer Taylor, Connie Conlon, and Brenda Williams. Behind the scenes: Ray Andress and Donita McCormick-Fortune

More Angels making holidays merry and bright for CASA kids

Michi Burke - Friends of CASA

Pender Graves - Friends of CASA

Annie Izard - Board of Directors

Meg Janucik - Friends of CASA

Rachel Lloyd Miller - Friends of CASA

Kelly Moore - Friends of CASA

Whitney Plumber

Jenn Winslow - Friends of CASA

Want to help with our wish list next year? Let us know:

Email Kati

Piedmont CASA Blog

Read more on our blog

Celebrating PCASA Volunteers

Becky Minor is named Ruth Stone Advocate of the Year

CASA Volunteer Becky Minor was awarded the 2023 Ruth Stone Advocate of the Year! CASA Supervisor Kati Naess made the announcement at the Volunteer Picnic on October 18. Becky has been a CASA Volunteer for 12 years. In that time, she has been an exceptional advocate for eleven boys and girls in the foster care system.

Left to right: CASA Supervisor Kati Naess and Becky Minor.

More Volunteer Picnic Photos

Introducing our newest CASA Volunteers

On November 14, 2023, the Honorable Areshini Pather gave the oath to our newest Piedmont CASA Volunteers. They are flanked by Board Chair Crystal Shin on the left and Piedmont CASA President Kate Duvall on the right. The new CASA Volunteers are: William J. Hicks, Carter A. Miller, Valerie J. Palamountain, Betsy T. Brady, Megan E. Horvath, Kacie J. Park, Krista Seiden, Hilary Ritt, Nikki Sheridan, and Jane K. Smith.

Photo below: James Veccio induction on November 29. From left to right: CASA Intern Lily Lynch, CASA Supervisor Kati Naess, Judge Areshini Pather, CASA Volunteer James Veccio, Program Director Leah Cole, and CASA Supervisor Alison Taravella.

Why Piedmont CASA?

"The first time I submitted a court report, the judge acknowledged it from the bench, and I believe my recommendations helped him make decisions. From that moment on, I was hooked. When you make that kind of difference in the life of a child, you give that child hope."

Cathy Eberly

Piedmont CASA Volunteer

Retired CASA Supervisor

PCASA Wins Carbon Crackdown Award

The Community Climate Collaborative honored Piedmont CASA with the Carbon Crackdown Award for making the greatest strides in reducing our overall footprint - and we love how it is reducing our utility bills!

Read more in The Daily Progress

Big Thanks for Helping Hands

Kids at festivals and fairs all across the community donate artwork to help us tell the story of CASA kids - just check out our Annual Impact Report!

Annual Impact Report

For the United Way Day of Caring, Hourigan designed and built a beautiful new frame for our banners - complete with solar lights!

The Delta Chi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority cooked up some mighty fine waffles - and raised over $6,000 for Piedmont CASA!

How could it be the holidays without Kiwanis of Charlottesville greenery wreathing our door?

Our favorite Intern is back! When Lily Lynch first volunteered with us, she was in high school. Now she is a freshman at UVA - and working hard to bring us into the 21st century by scanning cartons upon cartons of files.

In the Works for 2024