Alexandria, VA — Court Appointed Special Advocates of the Eastern Panhandle (CASA-EP) received a major gift of $50,000 from the AMS Group to serve more children who have experienced abuse and neglect and expand its programming to better support youth transitioning out of the foster care system.
Tim Gale, Chairman of AMS, presented a check to CASA-EP and offered his on-going support to expand the organization’s impact. He praised the work of CASA volunteers, the organization’s founding board members, and staff for their tireless support of our community’s most vulnerable children.
“AMS is delighted to support CASA of the Eastern Panhandle. CASA volunteers provide critical support for our most vulnerable citizens: young children facing the trauma of abuse,” said Gale. “These trained individuals offer the children continuity and stability in a complex, volatile situation, where CASA volunteers help the child navigate their way through the court system, taking them to medical appointments and providing support in meetings with social workers, police investigators and others. CASA volunteers advocate for these traumatized children and AMS is honored to have the opportunity to support these unsung heroes.”
CASA-EP co-founder and emeritus board member Val Smith graciously thanked Gale and AMS for their tremendous support.
“It is because companies like AMS who support and give back to communities where they do business that nonprofits like CASA can expand and serve the growing number of children who need an advocate and resources to heal and thrive. We look forward to growing our base of supporters who like Tim Gale see the critical needs of the youngest members of our community.”
AMS Group is a leading distributor, manufacturer and supplier of engineered aerospace and defense systems, components and subsystems, providing innovative technologies and logistics support to defense and security markets worldwide.
The donation from AMS was given in honor of CASA-EP’s 20th anniversary. More than 800 community members have advocated for children and families as a CASA volunteer since its founding in 2003. Working in nearly every corner of Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, the organization’s volunteers have touched the lives of more than 5,000 children, including 2,000 children in the last five years alone.
For children and youth in foster care, a trusted advocate can make all the difference in the world. CASA-EP recruits, trains, and supports dedicated volunteers to be the constant in a child’s life – a person they can count on for compassion, guidance, advocacy, and information. This unique relationship expands the child’s world view through enriching experiences and trauma- responsive support. CASA-EP’s volunteers and professional staff fuel the resiliency and hope every child needs to thrive in adulthood.
To find more information about volunteering or becoming a CASA or to make a gift in honor of CASA-EP’s 20th anniversary, including its scholarship fund, please visit www.mycasaep.org.
CASA-EP believes that every child who’s been abused or neglected deserves to have a dedicated advocate speaking up for their best interest in court, at school, and in our community. To accomplish this, CASA-EP educates and empowers diverse community volunteers who ensure that each child’s needs remain a priority in an overburdened child welfare system. Apply, donate, or learn more at www.mycasaep.org, call 304-263-5100, or find CASA of the Eastern Panhandle on Facebook.