Snohomish County, Wash., March 7, 2023 – The Snohomish County Office of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) trains and supports volunteers to give a voice to children in the court system. The goal at CASA is to bring hope to children who have been abused or neglected. Renee Robinson is a volunteer advocate who has done that and so much more, which is why the Office of the CASA has named her the recipient of the annual Champion for Children Award, designating her as volunteer of the year for Snohomish County CASA.
Ms. Robinson has volunteered at CASA since 2019 and has immersed herself in learning about every child for whom she advocates. Those who know Ms. Robinson describe her as someone who is recognized for her caring and compassionate demeanor. Ms. Robinson’s work has made a difference in the lives of 16 children thus far, ensuring that their voices and best interests are heard in court. Ms. Robinson’s influence can be seen at every level of the CASA Program – recruiting, training, and child advocacy.
“Ms. Robinson is committed to family preservation and consistently embodies the values of the CASA program through her child-focused advocacy, integrity and teamwork,” says CASA Division Manager Joelle Kelly.
Ms. Robinson has completed close to 200 hours of voluntary training, focusing specifically on the areas that most impact the children she serves. Ms. Robinson also regularly attends outreach events in the community and initial CASA training classes to welcome new volunteers to the program and to share about her experience as a CASA volunteer.
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Andy Coate, a Program Coordinator for CASA, shares that, “Ms. Robinson approaches her role as a CASA with empathy, curiosity, and humility. As her program coordinator, I am continuously in awe of her ability to find strengths in every situation and willingness to go above and beyond to support the families in our community. Ms. Robinson routinely shows the tremendous impact a CASA can have in a child’s life.”
The Snohomish County CASA program has been part of the community for 44 years and is dedicated to giving a voice to every abused and neglected child in foster care. At any given time, there are over 400 children in Snohomish County who are in the foster care system. Currently more than 200 children are waiting for a CASA volunteer to be by their side. CASA is always looking for passionate new volunteers such as Ms. Robinson so that one day every child who needs a voice has a CASA to advocate for their best interests, a forever home, and a bright future.
For details about the role of the CASA, including how to apply and upcoming training dates, visit http://www.snococasa.org or follow CASA on social media @SnohomishCASA.
SOURCE: Snohomish County CASA press release
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Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
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