About Us

• Mission Statement
• CASA Staff
• Board
• Privacy Statement

Concerned over making decisions about abused and neglected children's lives without sufficient information, a Seattle judge conceived the idea of using trained community volunteers to speak for the best interests of these children in court. This Seattle program was so successful that soon judges across the country began utilizing citizen advocates. Eventually in 1990, the U.S. Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA with passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act.

Golden Crescent CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) was established in 1995 to provide trained community volunteers to advocate in the best interests of abused and neglected children involved in the court system. Today, Golden Crescent CASA serves as Guardian ad Litem for children in foster care in Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria counties. Each Court Appointed Special Advocate focuses on the child’s best interest through services, treatment and placement. These sworn child advocates are given constant support and guidance by professional staff as well as training in child development, communications and cultural competency skills.

The strength of the CASA program lies in providing care and support on a one-to-one basis throughout the court process, allowing the child and volunteer to develop a trusting, nurturing relationship.

Nationwide, the CASA program has evolved into one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country with more than 900 programs in operation, at least one in every state; In Texas in 2007, 4,928 CASA volunteers advocated for 20,509 children in 202 counties.

Golden Crescent CASA has seven staff members. Income sources include:

United Way
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
Crime Victims Compensation (CVC)
Private donations and fundraising
Assorted grants
License Plate Fund

Golden Crescent CASA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of community members and an Advisory Board including judges, attorneys, mayors and city council members, and other interested citizens.

Mission Statement

The Golden Crescent CASA mission is to utilize trained volunteers, appointed by the court, to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children and assist in placing them in nurturing, permanent homes.

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CASA Staff

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Board

President- Lorene Bothe
Vice President - Luther Easley
Treasurer - Pam Lahodny
Secretary - Marco Porras
Immediate Past President - Reynolds Tharp

Directors
Jewel Buchanan
Jeanie Bauer
Tyre Post
Roxanna Salinas
Vanessa Villafranca    
Tanya Wilkinson

Advisory Board
Charli Donoghue
Jerra Lee
John Quitta
Geri Schroeder
Tenna Thompson

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Privacy Statement

Your privacy is very important to us. We recognize that visitors to our site may be concerned about the information they provide to us, and how we treat that information. The following information concerning the gathering and use of personal information through this site is being provided to enable you to make knowledgeable choices about whether to provide information to us and to give you the opportunity to limit the manner in which personal information about you is used. Please read this privacy statement carefully before using this site. Your use of this site indicates your consent to our processing, use, disclosure and transfer of your personal information as described in this privacy statement. We may revise this privacy statement from time to time. You are responsible for checking this statement when you visit our site to review the current privacy statement. If you do not agree with the privacy statement, you should cease using the site immediately.

What information does Golden Crescent CASA gather through the site?

You will need to provide certain information to obtain services or to complete transactions initiated by you through the site. If you choose not to provide information, we may not be able to provide those services or to complete those transactions. Please keep in mind that the more optional fields you enter enables Golden Crescent CASA to provide enhanced products and/or services to you. You also may be required to provide additional registration information to obtain special services or to complete transactions initiated by you (e.g. recording a stated desire to donate online through this site through a company-sponsored campaign).

How does Golden Crescent CASA use personal information?

Golden Crescent CASA uses personal identifiable information it gathers from you in connection with the provision of the services available to you through the site and in completing the transactions initiated by you. Listed below are some of the ways in which your information may be used:

• to improve Golden Crescent CASA services;
• to customize the content and/or layout of our site for each individual visitor;
• to notify you about new opportunities or activities of Golden Crescent CASA or our agencies;
• to ask for your participation in brief surveys;
• to generate aggregate statistical studies;
• to complete any transactions you may do at the site (which will include providing your information to the relevant agencies so that they can complete your transaction).

If you live or work outside the United States of America, from time to time, your personal information may be transferred to a country different from where you are located, and processed there in accordance with this privacy statement. You hereby consent to such transfers and processing as described in this privacy statement. With whom does Golden Crescent CASA share my personal information? Golden Crescent CASA will not sell, reveal or share with unaffiliated third parties any of your personally identifiable information except in the following limited circumstances:

• we have your permission to share the information;
• we are authorized to do so under this privacy statement; or
• we are required by law to disclose your information or to protect against fraud or illegal activity.

Linked Sites

If you click on a hypertext link that takes you to another site outside of Golden Crescent CASA, we are not responsible for the information collection practices and use at that other site. In addition, when you initiate a transaction through such a link, the information you and we submit to such an entity to complete your transaction becomes subject to that entity’s privacy or information use policies. Golden Crescent CASA is not responsible for the privacy or information use policies of such entities. Whom may I contact for more information? If you would like to be deactivated from the Golden Crescent CASA mailing lists, or if you would like to update your personal information, you may notify us by email or postal mail. Golden Crescent CASA will use reasonable efforts to promptly resolve any issues. Here’s how to reach us: Phone: 361-573-3734 or Email: gccasa@goldencrescentcasa.org

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Connect with Us

Volunteer training classes are forming now. For more information on how to become a CASA volunteer or to sign up please call 361.573.3734.