A MESSAGE FROM Hannah's Run for CASA (Foster Youth Advocates)
Hello friends and family! Thank you for supporting me.
I'm running on Team CASA and raising the equivalent of one year of support for one child. Life throws a lot of curve balls at people and through YOUR donation you can help provided support and be part of the village that many families need in order to be reunified.
The last couple of years have been tough, rewarding, but tough. Becoming a mom of 2, working full time, and dealing with the highs and lows of life have left me on empty (you can read more on my blog). But it's not until the last year that I finally have started to feel more of myself... and that wouldn't have been possible without my support system. I've been fortunate to have support and I am running to give that to youth and families in need.
I’ve worked with foster youth first hand in my classroom and through supporting friends who have fostered. In learning about individual stories and the system overall, I believe that Foster Youth, and the unique challenges they face, deserve support and attention. Foster Youth are some of the most vulnerable kids in the country. Many experience trauma either by circumstance leading to foster care and/or by being separated from their families.
Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something! Being a foster parent is A LOT of work (appointments, visitation, court appearances, and more), but we CAN support those who are directly involved in the system. We can be the village needed to support children in the system by supporting CASA.
Read more on my blog and CASA Cook County's Website about some of the advocacy programs CASA Cook County provides.
From CASA Cook County:
CASA volunteers are literally changing the future for children and youth in foster care. But one thing is missing—YOU! It costs CASA of Cook County $2,500 to serve a child for one year—versus the tens of thousands of dollars spent by the child welfare system. Those funds ensure CASA has the wrap-around staff to train and support volunteers so they can provide the very best trauma-informed, culturally relevant advocacy for a child.
