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March 2024 Newsletter

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Showing the love for our CASA kids!

It’s February and love is in the air! From boxes of chocolates and bouquets of roses to heart-shaped cards and […]

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Celebrating our Advocates for International Volunteers Day

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.  – Steve […]

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Strategic Conversations – Communicating while Black

October is here! It’s finally (and hopefully) time for cooler weather, corn mazes, pumpkin carving, warm drinks, and sleeping with […]

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National CASA Conference 2023

Earlier this summer several of our staff and board members had the opportunity to travel to St. Louis for the […]

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Types of Foster Care Placements

Types of Foster Care Placements Foster care is a crucial safety net for children unable to live with their birth […]

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March Blog

Unassuming Heroes: Crystal’s Twenty-Year Anniversary at CASA of Northwest Arkansas Crystal Vickmark has been an integral part of the business […]

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Older Youth Specialist

What Makes an Older Youth Specialist at CASA? CASA of NWA created the Older Youth Specialist role in 2013 after […]

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Trauma-Informed Advocacy

This months blog post comes from Sadie Perkins, one of our two Advocate Supervisors that are trained as TBRI (Trust-Based Relational […]

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25 Years of CASA Volunteers

25 Years of CASA Volunteers   “It will be hard, and I hope I can handle it. It will be […]

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Going Back to School in Foster Care

Back to School in Foster Care   Take a moment to think about your experience in school. Now try to […]

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2022 National CASA/GAL Conference & 40 Year Anniversary

Gaining Valuable Insight at the 2022 National CASA/GAL Conference At CASA of Northwest Arkansas, we are constantly learning; whether it be one […]

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LGBTQI+ in the Foster Care System

LGBTQI+ Youth in the Foster Care System Pride Month is about recognizing our collective humanity, where everyone is treated equally […]

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Foster Care And Five Things You Can Do

Foster Care And Five Things You Can Do CASA of NWA May 2022  In observance of National Foster Care Month […]

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Social Work Month

For Social Work Month, we asked our licensed social workers, Shelley, Tara, and Abra to share a little bit about […]

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Celebrating 25 in 2022

The year was 1997. Jewel and Backstreet Boys were at the top of the charts. Ally McBeal and Buffy debuted on television. You […]

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Asked & Answered: How has CASA advocacy changed over the past 25 years?

From the number of staff to the counties we serve to additional programs to meet the needs of our community, here […]

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Asked & Answered: Has research been done on the effectiveness of CASA advocacy?

You know what a CASA volunteer does: she/he advocates in court for the best interests of the children on their […]

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Asked & Answered: How do CASA volunteers advocate for a child’s educational needs?

One of the areas where a CASA can make a huge and lasting difference in the life of a child, […]

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A CASA volunteer’s perspective on educational advocacy

Education is the great equalizer. Shared often by one of her former principals, that paraphrase remains top of mind for […]

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Asked & Answered: What is a CASA volunteer’s role in reunification?

As reunification is always the initial focus of the case, CASA volunteers play a vital role in not only advocating […]

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A volunteer’s perspective on reunification

Reunification can be hard to understand, and many CASA volunteers are unsure about working with parents when they take their […]

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The Child Welfare Team

Being in foster care can be overwhelming for children and parents for many reasons. One of those reasons is the […]

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Asked & Answered: What happens when a call is made to the Child Abuse Hotline?

When a call is made to the child abuse hotline, the hotline operator must decide if there is enough information […]

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Child Abuse Prevention Month

The key to prevention is knowledge. Here are some tips taken from the Child Welfare Information Gateway’s Prevention Resource Guide […]

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Volunteer Appreciation Month

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Asked & Answered: Does an advocate work with a single child?

A new advocate is assigned a single case. That case may include one child or a sibling group. If an […]

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Asked & Answered: Can You Work a Full-Time Job while Performing CASA Duties?

Absolutely! Many of our volunteers have full-time jobs and families. Most of the CASA’s duties are carried out on their […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Kristi & Jeff Blaschke

High school sweethearts. Arkansas alumni. Accountants. Parents. In 2016, Kristi and Jeff added CASA advocates to their titles and accomplishments. […]

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Asked & Answered: What is a CASA volunteer’s role in family finding?

Arkansas law is clear that the preferred placement for a child in foster care is with relatives. Studies show that […]

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Asked & Answered: Is a legal background required to be a CASA volunteer?

Absolutely not! Most of our 410 advocates have no formal legal training whatsoever. We often get asked, “Who makes the […]

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Skilled CASA Champions

Every child in foster care will have a fierce and skilled CASA champion by their side. That’s our vision. But […]

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Serving Every Child

Five years ago, CASA of Northwest Arkansas set a very important goal: to provide a CASA to every child in […]

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2020 Graduates: Looking to the Future

For many teenagers, graduating from high school is a given. It’s an important step before they head to college or […]

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Asked & Answered: What is the primary goal of a foster care case?

The goal of a foster care case is set by the court, specifically the presiding juvenile judge. With very few […]

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Asked & Answered: How does a CASA volunteer get assigned to a case?

Once a CASA graduates from training, they will meet with their assigned supervisor. The supervisor will review the list of […]

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A Glimpse at Advocacy During the COVID-19 Crisis

What’s it like to advocate for a child in foster care during a pandemic? According to CASA James Curtis, what […]

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Community Resources

It’s so important for our community to come together (virtually) during this difficult time. Here are some resources we’ve found […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Hantz

When looking for adaptable, caring, and supportive volunteers, CASA won the lottery with Susan Hantz. A retired nursing professor, Susan […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Joe Bebout

When planning to retire in the Ozarks, Joe Bebout knew he wanted to invest in volunteering. Little did he know […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Debbie Torres

Protector. Constant. Honest. These are the words that come to mind when thinking of CASA volunteer Debbie Torres. Debbie’s always […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Phil Keene

Phil Keene is a busy guy: full-time job at Walmart, married with kids, vestry member for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church […]

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Celebrating 15 Years with CASA

Shelley joined CASA of Northwest Arkansas as a Volunteer Coordinator (the position we now call Advocate Supervisor) after leaving DHS […]

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2019 Graduates Ready for the Future

In just a few weeks, six of our teens in foster care will start anew. They will head across town […]

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Training Specialist Arbor Buchanan Retiring

The year was 2004. Arbor Buchanan had left her post as a foster care caseworker for the Department of Human […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Christine Scott & Tiajuana Gough

Driving to her first CASA training class, Tiajuana Gough was so nervous she thought about turning around. As she reached […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Kasey Meadows

When your best friend calls you at 6 a.m. and invites you to a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at the JQ […]

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Celebration of Success

When people think of volunteering, they often think of helping out for a few hours at the local animal shelter […]

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High School Graduates

Only 58% of teens in foster care will graduate high school by age 19*. Don’t tell that to the six […]

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Corporate Spotlight: General Mills

For more than a decade, General Mills has been investing locally in the CASA movement. Our partnership has grown as […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Emily Bost

Emily Bost may be small in stature, but she has one of the biggest hearts out there. From registered nurse to […]

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Unique Way to Give: Stocks!

Did you know that donating appreciated property, such as a gift of stock, to charity can generate a double tax […]

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Leading with Love: Crystal Vickmark’s 15th Anniversary

It was 2003. In Northwest Arkansas, there were 699 children in foster care. CASA of NWA was a young nonprofit, […]

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Child Abuse Prevention Month

Across Benton, Washington, Madison, and Carroll counties, there were 5,312 investigations of child maltreatment last year¹. We wanted to honor […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Dustin Demoin

Dustin Demoin has multiple graduate degrees, but none in law or social services. So, how does an adjunct lecturer in […]

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Annual DCFS Report Card

Each year, the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services produces an annual report card. The […]

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Christmas for a Child 2017

Each year, CASA of Northwest Arkansas works hard to bring holiday cheer to our children in care. With the help […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Kemetric Bailey

Kemetric Bailey joined our corps of nearly 300 volunteers in April 2017. When she moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2010, […]

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Light of Hope 2017

Light of Hope is a national movement to light a symbol of hope for abused and neglected children who are […]

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The CASA Family is Growing

To reach our lofty goal of serving every child in need by 2020, we knew we needed to expand our […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Nene Weaver

To most, Nene Weaver appears as a loving wife and dedicated mother to two children.  That she is. But, to […]

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CASA License Plates

Since launching in 2015, the CASA license plates have generated enough revenue to provide a CASA volunteer to a foster […]

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Sponsor Support

The nonprofit world relies heavily on our for profit partners. Not just for corporate sponsorships – albeit those are important […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Marius & Elise de Waal

“I help abused and neglected children in my spare time, what do you do?” A bumper sticker with those very […]

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National CASA Conference

In March, six members of the CASA of Northwest Arkansas staff joined approximately 1,200 people from across the nation for […]

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In Good Company

Getting a foster child therapy is a collaborative effort. The judge orders it, the DHS coordinates it, the foster family […]

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Celebrating Our Volunteers

Board member Chris Mitchell opened the evening by recognizing the enormous sacrifice our volunteers make in order to serve. Benton […]

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Light of Hope 2016

Another year has passed and another AMAZING Light of Hope has come and gone. On November 17, 2016, more than […]

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20 Years of Impact

In 2017, CASA of Northwest Arkansas will celebrate 20 years of advocating for abused and neglected children in our region! […]

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Meeting the Need

In Northwest Arkansas alone, nearly 600 children are in care right now. Numbers like that can be somewhat intimidating and […]

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Granting Christmas Wishes!

The holiday season kicked off in early December with the annual Area 1 Christmas Party graciously sponsored by Fast Lane […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Thad Crawford

A little over a year ago, Thad Crawford attended CASA of Northwest Arkansas’s Light of Hope breakfast. The timing couldn’t […]

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National CASA Appointment for ED Crystal Vickmark

Crystal Vickmark has been appointed by the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association as a member of its newly […]

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Oh, the Places They’ll Go!

Only 58% of teens in foster care will graduate high school by age 19*. When peers outside of the system graduate […]

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In Good Company Platinum Sponsor: Paramount Pictures

Dedication and passion. In their Statement of Business Conduct, Paramount and its parent company Viacom list dedication and passion as […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Becky Richards

According to Becky Richards, she has always been advocating for children. She may not have always been heard, but she […]

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KUAF Community Spotlight

To help paint the picture of the foster care system and the unique needs of the brave children we serve, […]

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Fashion with a Focus

  Angela Terrazas, of Ink & Thread Creations, wanted to do more. Having been a donor of CASA of Northwest […]

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CASA of NWA Pilots New Training Program

If you are an advocate or have considered becoming one, you have crossed paths with Ms. Arbor Buchanan. Arbor, our […]

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In Good Company Title Sponsor: General Mills

Committed to nourishing lives and communities, General Mills embraces philanthropy throughout their business model. There are few lives in Northwest Arkansas […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Linda Cudney

When you meet CASA advocate Linda Cudney, it is hard not to be inspired. She describes herself as a wife […]

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Older Youth – Worth the Investment

CASA of Northwest Arkansas has been serving foster teens since its inception in 1997. In 2013, we created the Older Youth […]

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7th Annual CASA of Northwest Arkansas “Light of Hope” Breakfast and Lunch Events

On November 18th, 770 guests came together for the Light of Hope breakfast in Rogers and 280 for the luncheon […]

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Support for Area Children Grows with CASA’s Expansion into New Facility: Capitol campaign will help fund growth and services

Springdale, Ark., June 22, 2014 – Since June 2013, more than 500 abused and neglected children in Northwest Arkansas were […]

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1,200 Local Foster Children Receive New Toys and More From Toy Industry Foundation with Court Appointed Special Advocates

Lowell, AR | June 20, 2014 – More than 400 local foster children living in Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll […]

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Bank of America Presents a $3,000 Grant to CASA of Northwest Arkansas

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Northwest Arkansas is pleased to be the recipient of a grant from The Bank […]

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CASA of Northwest Arkansas recognizes volunteers at annual Celebration of Success.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Northwest Arkansas held it’s annual Celebration of Success Thursday, May 9th at St. Anthony’s […]

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Distinguished Community Member Celebrates 10 Years of Service at CASA of Northwest Arkansas

Springdale, AR – CASA of Northwest Arkansas is honored to recognize Susan Duke as a dedicated CASA volunteer advocate for […]

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CASA Recognizes Long-Standing Advocate

As CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Northwest Arkansas marks its 13th year serving abused and neglected children in foster […]

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