Community Service
AAPA contributes to the community by participating in a number of charitable programs. AAPA members volunteer their time and knowledge to the San Antonio Bar Association's Community Justice Program ("CJP"), working in the pro bono Community Justice Clinics and Wills Clinics.
Additionally, AAPA chooses a different charity each year to support through donations and fundraising. The charity selected for the 2011-2012 Board Year is CASA of San Antonio (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
If you have a suggestion for a charity to be considered for next year, or for more information on our charities or volunteering opportunities, contact AAPA's Public Relations Director.
The mission of Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) is to recruit, train, and supervise court-appointed advocates who provide constancy for abused and neglected children and youth while advocating for services and placement in safe and permanent homes.
Last year 345 CASA volunteers served 1329 abused and neglected children.
We know that our volunteers truly make a difference in the lives of the children we serve.
For over 27 years, CASA has provided abused and neglected children in Bexar County a unique service that no other agency provides. Last year, Texas Department of Family & Protective Services (aka CPS) confirmed 5,999 child victims of abuse/neglect in Bexar County. The majority of children served are in early childhood, making them most vulnerable due to their small size, dependent nature, and lack of defense capability.
In fiscal year 2010 ending June 30, 2010:
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88% of the children served had one volunteer throughout the duration of their case providing constancy and consistency at an otherwise unstable time.
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97% of the children served were impacted specifically because of the work of the CASA volunteer (legal, educational, medical, psychological, and/or through sustaining family and relative bonds).
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98% of the time judges will agree with CASA volunteers’ recommendations for a safe and permanent home for children served.
How we can make a difference:
Volunteer
CASA volunteers receive 33 hours of initial training and are asked to pursue an additional 12 hours of continuing education per year. Following the initial training, CASA volunteers are sworn in by a judge and become court-appointed special advocates for children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect.
CASA volunteers make incredible differences in the lives of the children they serve. Our volunteers have influenced siblings being adopted together into safe and permanent homes, facilitated children being able to move toward adoption by a relative, and completed research that in some cases has helped a loving family reunify based on positive information that only they were able to uncover about parents from whom the children were initially removed. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the judge agrees with our volunteers' recommendations for final placement.
If you are interested in volunteering, please complete an application (found at the bottom of the page) and return. Once we receive your application we will contact you to schedule an interview.
Invest in a child
CASA gratefully accepts contributions in any amount you are generous enough to provide. Please keep the following in mind as you determine the level at which you wish to support CASA:
$600 allows CASA to serve one abused and neglected child for six months.
$1,200 allows CASA to serve one abused and neglected child for one year.
CASA is a singular program with the singular mission to improve the lives of abused and neglected children. Please know that your contributions directly fund our mission.
CASA also accepts contributions in honor of special occasions and in memory of departed loved ones.
Please send contributions to 406 San Pedro, San Antonio, Texas 78212. If you would like to make a credit card contribution, please click on the link below and print and complete our credit card form. Mail the completed form to the above-mentioned address. You may also make a credit card contribution by phone. To do so, please contact Christina Higgs at (210) 225-7070.
Your contributions are tax-deductible.
