Hi *{{Informal Name}}*,

I hope you are well! Things are busy around the CASA office this month as we have TWO training classes in progress. We are grateful that so many people wanted to participate that we needed the second class. It just means more kids will get to have a CASA volunteer!

Please read on to learn about something new CASA is doing this year to raise awareness, why Sara is covered in teddy bears in the photo below, and about the unprecedented crisis within our state's Children's Division. Stay in the know!

As always, thank you for being a friend of CASA. We couldn't do this important work without your support.

All my best,

Angela Carson

Development and Marketing Manager

Heart of Missouri CASA

Mizzou Homecoming Parade This Saturday

We invite you to bring a friend, your kids, or just yourself to march with us in the Mizzou Homecoming parade! This is CASA's first year to participate and we are excited to spread awareness and hand out candy to the kids along the route. We will have a decked out truck and trailer and want to pack them full of friends! The parade will begin at 9 a.m. on Mizzou's campus this Saturday, October 22nd. If you would like to join us, please email laura@homcasa.org so she can give you information about where to meet us on Saturday morning. Respond by Wednesday if you would like a free CASA t-shirt to wear during the parade. Even if you can't join us on the float, give a us a big wave if you're watching from the crowd! We hope to see you there.

Thank You for the Teddy Bears!

Look at all of these teddy bears that came in the mail! We truly have the best community and friends. In our last newsletter we shared a story about how a stuffed animal brought a kid comfort and calm during a difficult moment. Our teddy bear supply was low so we asked for your help. Wow, did you come through! We now have plenty for our volunteers to take when they meet a child for the first time or when a kid just needs a little extra comfort. Thank you, again!

If you would still like to help provide visit activities and gifts for kids in foster care, we have added some items specifically for toddlers and teens. We needed some fun games that volunteers can play with teens during the winter months when we're stuck inside. Throw Throw Burrito, Monopoly Deal, Uno, over the door basketball, POPDARTS, and a velcro dart board made the wishlist! There are also a few lego and stem building sets that will make some tweens/teens day when their birthday rolls around. You can check it all out here!

"The Job Is Impossible"

There was a recent article in the Missouri Independent shedding light on the crisis inside of the Children's Division of Missouri's Department of Social Services. If you have a minute, please read it here. One important piece of information they gathered was that Children's Division experienced a 55% turnover in frontline workers last year, leaving the agency in crisis statewide. At Heart of Missouri CASA, we value the role case manager's play in helping children find safety and permanency. The truth is, they simply have too many cases to manage right now, and the job is incredibly difficult. If you know a caseworker, please support them. CASA volunteers are also more important than ever. They ensure that children aren't falling through the cracks of this very fragile and overburdened system. If you have thought about becoming a CASA volunteer, there has never been a more urgent time to step up and be a powerful voice for a child. They need the consistent care and advocacy of a CASA volunteer. You can make a difference! Please join us in January at our next training. See the details below.

Join Our Next Volunteer Training

Are you ready to take the next step and become a CASA? Our next available class is set to begin on January 19th! For more information, call us at (573) 442-4670, email us at hello@homcasa.org, or register for one of our no-obligation information sessions.

Winter Class

1/19/2023: In-person Kick-off 5:30-6:30 pm
1/26/2023: In-person Session 1: 5:30-8:30 pm
2/2/2023: In-person Session 2: 5:30-8:30 pm
2/9/2023: In-person Session 3: 5:30-8:30 pm
2/16/2023: In-person Session 4: 5:30-8:30 pm
2/23/2023: In-person Session 5: 5:30-8:30 pm

Training is made up of 15 hours in-person and 15 hours online.

If you are ready to apply now, you can do so on our website!