Photo of Krissy Wright, Child Advocate of Crossroads CASA
Everyone deserves a voice for themselves, but some may find it a little difficult to find it. That’s where people like Krissy Wright, a Child Advocate with Crossroads CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for over 10 years, come in. Check out her Q&A to learn more about her volunteerism and how you can help out!
How did you get involved in the nonprofit sector?
“While I have always been active in community service, the CASA program really called out to me because it allows me to work directly with children in need in my community.”
What services does your organization offer? Are there any people may not be aware of?
“The CASA program is a fantastic organization where trained volunteers advocate for the best interests of children involved in the Department of Child Services system, often due to abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers serve as independent advocates for children during court proceedings. Advocates follow all happenings in the case, meet with the child regularly, and most importantly, LISTEN to the CHILD. They then make recommendations to the court and ensure that the child’s voice is heard. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the child is safe and has a voice.”
Where could your organization use some support from the community?
“Our organization is always looking for more advocates. We constantly have a list of unserved children in the court system even though our advocates regularly serve more than one child at a time. We also benefit from donations of equipment to our office when needed. This helps us make sure that the child has everything they need to have a safe and well-equipped living environment – be that at home or in foster placement. We are also always grateful for our wonderful donors at Christmas time who help us provide presents for our children.”
Why is it important for you to serve your community by being part of this organization?
“Of all of the volunteer work I have done over the years, being a CASA is the one that tugs at my heart the most. I can be the stability that a child needs on their worst days. I can be the person on the other end of the phone who will listen when they need to talk. I can advocate for services that the child doesn’t know exists to help improve their life. And best of all, I can celebrate with the child on their best days. Being able to be all of these things and more for children in my own community makes being a CASA one of the best volunteer opportunities there is.”
What are your favorite things about living in your community, and why?
“I love living in our community because we are exactly that – a strong, tight-knit community that shows up for each other. When I have a mom who needs a stroller, I can reach out on social media and have 5 people jumping in with donations in less than an hour. When I need a safe space for a meeting with a child, we are blessed with libraries, parks, and even supportive school administration teams that provide comfortable, engaging spaces. We have a strong network of DCS workers and foster families who step up to make a dark day in a child’s life a little brighter. We are a community that cares about and supports our youth.”
If you could see one thing improve here – what would it be?
“I would love to see every single child in the system with their own advocate! We need more volunteers to help us reach this goal.”
How can people volunteer with you?
To apply, visit our website or social media pages at www.crossroadscasa.com or www.facebook.com/crossroadscasa.
We can proceed with background checks and start the process of training you to change a child’s life. If you have questions, you can always call us at 219-866-0843 or e-mail us at crossroadscasa@co.jasper.in.us.
We typically train volunteers towards the end of March through April, so please apply so you can join us!
Thank you Krissy, for doing your part in impacting our community’s youth!
