Wanted: A few good men - CASA's 100 Men for 100 Children
CASA OF NH NEWS — (Jul 08, 2009) —
Fifty percent of the children we serve are male, yet only 20% of our volunteers are male. More CASAs are needed to assure all children in NH have access to a CASA/GAL as a focused advocate for their court case, but we need more men so we can make the best match between the volunteers and the needs of the abused or neglected children and their families.
“CASA is a great organization,” says Brendan Prusik, sales professional, resident of Coos County, CASA volunteer, and member of CASA of NH’s 100 Men for 100 Children Campaign. “CASAs are not space fillers. I’ve been impressed by how judges clearly value what CASAs have to say. In almost every case I’ve been aware of, I could see how the presence of a CASA influenced the outcome in a positive way for the children involved.”
CASA volunteers come from all walks of life – from sales to human services; educators to engineers; CEOs and stay-at-home parents. For working people, this volunteer service can be maintained even while fully employed – 40% of our volunteers work full time.
“When I looked to give to the community, CASA offered the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and be directly involved with children and families. Sometimes I can help make things better for a child, and this makes it worthwhile for me,” says Michael Bourgault, attorney and VP of Compliance, The NHHEAF Network - CASA for 2 years, advocate for 7 children, member of the 100 Men for 100 Children Campaign.
This is a great opportunity for retired individuals looking for a way to give back to their community! Just ask Stan Popielarz, retired technical director of engineering programs in Avionics, who has been a CASA volunteer for four years and who has advocated for eight children. “The thing is, helping abused or neglected children by speaking for them in a courtroom demands use of your natural abilities, intelligence and creativity. This is an extremely valuable service for the community and it hit a homerun for me.”
This year, be one of the “100 men” who will make a difference in the life of a child. Contact Marjorie Waters at 800-626-0622, ext. 228 or email mwaters@casanh.org to learn more about the
100 Men for 100 Children Campaign.
