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The nonprofit Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cameron and Willacy Counties is having it’s first big fundraiser of the year on Friday, a “Totally Awesome 80s Prom” at the Marine Military Academy King Gym in Harlingen.
“So we thought it would be light, funny. I think people are ready to gather and socialize and what better time to socialize and help support a great cause like CASA,” executive director Dora Martinez said.
Prom attire, “or your baddest ’80s outfit” is recommended. Tickets are $50 per person, with dancing to music of the era from 7-11 p.m.
CASA of Cameron and Willacy Counties, known by its acronym, seeks to be an independent voice for children who have been victims of abuse and/or neglect in Cameron and Willacy Counties. It advocates for those children as they navigate the child welfare system, with the goal of finding safe and permanent homes for them.
“We’re a volunteer-based organization, so we recruit and train community volunteers to be advocates for these children, who are currently displaced. Sometimes they’re in foster homes, sometimes they’re with relatives, sometimes they’re in treatment centers and during that time an advocate is that person that visits with them every month, identifies what their needs are and reports back to the judge what they believe is in the child’s best interests as far as permanency,” Martinez said.
Because CASA is a 501-C3 nonprofit agency, it depends on fundraising activities like Friday night’s event, which have been curtailed until recently because of the pandemic.
“Nonprofits rely on the community’s support and people can support our mission by being present and bringing others to events like this one and by letting people know what CASA is about,” Martinez said.
“I’ve been with the agency 18 years and I still hear ‘I’ve never heard of CASA, what do you all do?’ something that I find shocking. We’ve been here in Cameron County for 28 years and I still hear this, and so events like this help bring awareness to our mission,” she said.
Lacey Ambriz, CASA communications director, said last fiscal year Cameron and Willacy counties had 690 children in state custody as being abused or neglected. “Of that number we only served 350, so we served about 60% of the children in need,” she said
Martinez added that the others “still do not have a CASA to represent them. They just don’t have an advocate, and so, unfortunately, maybe those are the children that fall through the cracks. They don’t get the services or maybe their case just remains in the system longer because there’s not that one person there that they’re looking for, a family that they’re looking for, kinship placement, that their educational needs are being met and just someone they know is there just for them,” she said.
Ambriz is paired with Forest VIII, the CASA certified facility dog, whose role is to work with the children, provide unconditional love and attention and be their “best fur friend.”
“He’s our certified facility dog. He has gone through a two-year extensive training and knows 40 commands,” Ambriz said. “He receives the same training as a service dog, his training is a bit more than a registered therapy dog. I actually had to apply, go to a training and be paired with him. He can help the children emotionally and physically He can attend them in court hearings He can sit with them if the child has to testify He’s been requested to go with them when they go for their forensic interviews at the Children’s Advocacy Centers, Maggie’s and Monica’s House.”
Tickets are available at casa80sprom.eventbrite.com or by calling the CASA office at (956) 546-6545 for more information.
