The episode features a conversation with Meg Pennington, an Advocate Supervisor from CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate). As an avid supporter and volunteer at CASA, host Tim Regan is passionate about supporting their cause and encourages others to give back to their community through an abundance mindset.
We often talk about living a two comma life here at PrairieView – and while that millionaire status is largely about reaching your own family’s life goals and living with abundance, it’s also about having the privilege of helping others.
With that in mind, we’re excited to welcome Meg Pennington of CASA to the podcast to share how the organization connects adults in the community with children in the foster care system. CASA is a great option for those that want to help but may not have the resources to foster children full-time.
In fact, Meg notes that CASA volunteers need only about five hours a month after their initial training to fully participate in the program.
“It’s usually just one hour of visiting with the child, maybe driving back and forth to the visit, making a couple of phone calls to follow up on services, and checking in with the school or the counselor,” she explains. “Every few months, we actually submit a court report to the juvenile judge to give them an update on how the child is doing and give recommendations.”
CASA volunteers play an important role by providing stability to the children, while also advocating for their well being in court via those reports.
Tim, Katie and Meg all agree that there’s no one “right” type of person that can succeed as a CASA volunteer – individuals in all walks of life might hear the call to help out. For Tim and his wife (who had previous experience as foster parents), having college-age children move out of their home freed up time and resources to commit to CASA. Recent retirees looking to fill up their post-work life with a purposeful activity might also find CASA a good fit, while Meg shares that many of their current volunteers are single adults.
And if you don’t have the time to volunteer, you can also support CASA through monetary contributions.
“We will never turn down donations,” Meg says. “These kids come into care sometimes with just the clothes on their back, or they may be placed with a relative who doesn’t have the finances that they need. And so that’s where donations can really come into play.”
Donations are used to give children items like blankets, pajamas, coloring books, stuffed animals and school supplies. Cash donations also allow CASA to put on more volunteering training sessions, giving more children the opportunity to connect with community advocates.
Hit “play” to learn more about how giving back can fit into your financial plan this year – and if you’re interested in donating or volunteering your time with CASA, visit casaofrivervalley.org to get started.
Key Timestamps and Topics
- 00:00:53 – Explanation of CASA’s role in the foster care system, including how CASA volunteers differ from caseworkers, counselors and other professionals.
- 00:04:06 – Discussion on how CASA provides a middle ground for those who want to help children without becoming foster parents, regardless of what phase of life they may be in.
- 00:06:49 – The hosts and guest explore the application and training process for becoming a CASA advocate.
- 00:13:27 – Learn how individuals like you can support children in foster care through financial donations.
- 00:15:44 – The discussion turns to the need for more volunteers to serve the increasing number of children in the foster care system.
- 00:21:06 – Our hosts make a connection between CASA and the two comma lifestyle, emphasizing the abundance mindset of giving back.
- 00:25:02 – The speakers share their own experiences as volunteers with the CASA organization.
3 Key Takeaways
- Living a two comma lifestyle brings the joy and privilege of giving back to your community, which is especially important for those that want to create a positive impact and long-lasting legacy.
- CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is an organization that advocates for children in the foster care system.
- While volunteering as an advocate and fostering children are both significant ways to contribute, financial donations are also crucial for CASA to continue its important work.
Links
Live Abundantly, Give Abundantly
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