Santa Cruz non-profit serving foster youth reopens center
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The Santa Cruz County Office of Education and CASA of Santa Cruz held a press conference for the reopening of the CASA center and the start of a new school year.
CASA of Santa Cruz is a non-profit organization that has been advocating for youth since 1992. Community volunteers receive training and are appointed by a judge to become court-appointed special advocates.
"Here in Santa Cruz County we have around 300 children in the foster care system, and 150 of those have a CASA," said Outreach and Recruitment Manager, Clarita Cortes.
Connie Ramirez received her first CASA mentor when she was six years old and she said it had a huge impact on her childhood.
"She has helped me so much when I didn't have anyone who was there to really support me or be there for me," said Ramirez. "She would come see me every week, and show really frequency. Just being there for me, listening to me, advocating for me, and just really speaking up for me."
Ramirez is now 22 and because of her own experience with CASA, she decided to join the team and is now in training. CASA recruits and trains community volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocate who advocates for them in and outside the court.
Due to the pandemic, CASA had to close is its doors last year and mentors were only able to communicate with the children virtually.
"It was very difficult for CASA children to not be able to see their CASAS, but they kept the connection," said Cortes. “They had the court hearings through zoom as well. So the CASA tried to keep that connection as much as possible, virtually.”
However, things will be a little different at CASA this year. Everyone will be required to wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands frequently. Cortes also said vaccines are recommended for staff since they're serving a group who are not all eligible to be vaccinated.
“They know that they are here to help their child," she said. "It's a recommendation, to take the vaccine. Our CASAs are going to start coming in, share time with their child here at the house, and taking all the precautions.”
With the help of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, these children were able to receive a backpack filled with school supplies.
"This backpack is not only a symbol of support to our students who are starting with a new year full of uncertainty," said Erika Cortes. "But, it's also a way for us to appreciate and support them, in excelling academically despite any hardships that they could be going through."
