Recently, I visited an open table discussion that CASA hosted in By Faith Coffee House. I walked in expecting a typical community meeting — polite conversation, a few brochures, maybe a call for volunteers. What I left with was something much deeper: a heart-shifting introduction to an organization that is changing lives one child at a time.
CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, is a volunteer-based nonprofit that supports children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are now navigating the foster care and court systems. In Louisiana, the need is urgent. Thousands of children are currently in foster care, and many of them don’t have someone solely focused on their best interest. That’s where CASA comes in.
At the coffeehouse that day, we didn’t just hear a presentation — we heard stories. Stories of kids caught in limbo between court dates and case plans. Stories of confusion, of loneliness, of voices lost in the shuffle. And we heard stories of hope — because of volunteers.
Volunteers are not lawyers or social workers. They are ordinary people with a powerful purpose: to stand beside a child through their time in foster care and to make sure their needs don’t get lost in the system. Volunteers complete training and are then appointed by a judge to speak up for the child’s best interest — in schools, in court, in life.
Sitting at that table, listening to local staff and volunteers share their experiences, I realized just how meaningful this role is. One speaker, a volunteer named Angela, talked about her first case — a 10-year-old girl who had changed homes three times in six months. “She didn’t trust anyone,” Angela said. “But I kept showing up. That’s all I did at first. I showed up. And eventually, she started talking. She started believing I wasn’t going to disappear.” That’s the power of CASA: showing up and staying — sometimes the only adult doing so in a child’s life.
According to Louisiana CASA, over 6,000 children are in the state’s foster care system. Last year, volunteers were able to serve just over 2,000 of them. That leaves thousands without a dedicated advocate.
The Louisiana CASA Association supports 17 local programs across the state, and they’re actively recruiting more volunteers. Training is thorough, ongoing support is provided, and the impact is undeniable. Studies show that children with CASA advocates are more likely to do well in school, receive the services they need, and find a safe, permanent home faster than those without. Beyond the statistics are the children themselves — and their stories, their fears, their hopes.
As I sipped my coffee that night and listened to more stories from volunteers and staff, I realized CASA isn’t just an organization. It’s a movement — a community of people who have decided that no child should face the system alone.You don’t need special credentials.
You don’t need legal training. You just need the willingness to listen, to learn, and to care. If you’ve ever wanted to make a difference in a child’s life — not someday, but right now — CASA is an opportunity to do exactly that. To learn more or to find your local CASA program, visit www.louisianacasa.org. Or better yet, attend one of their upcoming community events. You might just walk away inspired — like I did.
Jann Goar Franklin graduated Russellville High School in 1985 and lives in Grand Cane, Louisiana. She also writes books, which are for sale at The Village Loft in downtown Grand Cane. You can learn more about her at www.jannfranklin.com, or reach her at jann@jannfranklin.com