Volunteers needed to help children in Louisiana foster care

LBJ
·2 min read

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — In Jefferson Parish, there are over 50 children in foster care on a waiting list with no court-appointed special advocate.

Casa Jefferson officials say they are desperate to fill those vacancies and could use the community’s help.

“Somebody made a difference in your life so that you could be where you are, so what’s wrong with you helping a child,” said Advocate Recruiter, CASA Jefferson Margaret Ether.

When families struggle, often children suffer, according to Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court Judge Amanda Calogero.

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There are many things that can happen in families. Families can suffer the death of a parent, they can suffer mental illness, they can suffer substance abuse disorders. And there are cases when they are not able to take care of anyone much less children,” said Calogero.

If the state decides that the children are in harm’s way and no relatives set up, the children are put in foster care. Due to an increase in the number of kids assigned, there is now a significant need for residents to step up.

“In 2022, there were 90+ children that came into foster cases and there were only 15 volunteers walking through the door. And then in 2023, we had 130 kids assigned to our program with only around the same 15 advocates coming through the door,” said Casa Jefferson Executive Director Wendy Magee.

Casa advocates are said to be the voice of the children.

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The volunteers are the eyes and ears of the court. So, they help and work with DCFS to make a report to ensure that the services they’re supposed to be getting are happening,” said Magee.

Ether says the biggest qualification is a big heart.

“You have to be 21 years or older and have a love for children. You don’t have to have a whole lot of degrees, you don’t have to have a million dollars. You just have to have a heart to want to help children,” said Ether.

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