SMETHPORT — CASA of McKean County has been awarded a $5,300 Professional Development Initiative Grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children.
CASA of McKean County recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
The grant will pay for coursework and other costs leaders would otherwise incur to develop the skills to better serve children who have a CASA/GAL advocate.
“These grant funds will help improve the overall efficacy and sustainability of the CASA program which will help countless abused and neglected children in the future,” said Suzy Meyer-Page, executive director of CASA of McKean County.
There are 950 CASA/GAL programs nationwide, including 45 state offices. The federal grant funds distributed through National CASA/GAL are provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Department of Justice, as authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. In 2018, National CASA/GAL was awarded nearly $10 million in federal grants.
CASA of McKean County is holding its next volunteer training beginning March 16. For more information about becoming a volunteer advocate or other ways to get involved in changing a child’s story, contact CASA of McKean County at 814-568-2171 or casa@mckeancountypa.org or www.casamckean.org or visit our Facebook page.
