Jackson County MO CASA

Today we pause to honor Juneteenth, a day that marks freedom, resilience, and the long road toward justice for Black Americans.

At Jackson County CASA, our mission is rooted in the belief that every child deserves safety, support, and the chance to thrive. We are committed to showing up for every child, especially those who have been historically overlooked and underserved.

Happy Juneteenth. 🖤❤️💚

We're just under 2 weeks away from our yearly Carnival for CASA, a rootin'-tootin' good time providing the youth in our community with a fun-filled day at the Farm. 🚜

A sincere thank you to our amazing event sponsors: your generosity is what makes this day possible.

BTW, it's not too late to show your support. For just $30, sponsor a ticket so a child in the foster care system can enjoy a special day at the Carnival. ☀️

Click the link to purchase tickets or see sponsorship details: casakc.org/news-events/carnival-for-casa.html

See y'all at Faulkner's Ranch on June 28th!

Meet Susan Long, Case Specialist at Jackson County CASA! 💛

At work, no two days look the same for Susan. She might be visiting children and families, attending court hearings, or connecting people with resources that can change the course of their lives. Her path to this work is personal: she experienced her own family challenges growing up and saw firsthand what a difference a caring adult can make. Today, she channels that into advocacy, social justice, and making sure every child feels seen, heard, and supported.

Outside of work, you'll find her thrifting, attending jazz concerts, playing video games, or getting ready to serve as a Reading Mentor with Lead to Read KC this fall! She describes herself in three words: compassionate, creative, resilient (we couldn't agree more).

We're so grateful to have you on the team, Susan! 🌟

400 kids in foster care across our community want to come to Carnival for CASA — games, a petting farm, and a full afternoon of fun in the sun. But hundreds of them don't have a ticket yet.

For just $30, you can change that. Sponsor a ticket and give a child in foster care a day that's just about being a kid. ☀️

Click here for details: casakc.org/news-events/carnival-for-casa.html

Ellie teaches kindergarten, is a voracious reader, and loves watching baseball with her husband. They score Royals and Brewers games by hand! While in college, Ellie heard about CASA through her sorority and has been a Volunteer Advocate for the past year.

In her experience, she values being part of a team supporting a child. She shares, “Being paired with a young, pre-verbal child means I get to play and cuddle when visiting my child. I’m thankful for the support of my child’s entire team, their bio family, foster family, and CASA supervisor. I feel supported as I’m offering support as a CASA Volunteer Advocate.”

Court Appointed Special Advocates are trained volunteers advocating on behalf of a child through their experience in the family court system.

➡️ No special skills required. Get started as a CASA: casakc.org/volunteer/become-a-casa.html

This Spring, we’re celebrating the high school graduation of 28 teens in foster care.

This is significant because, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 69–85% of youth in foster care complete a high school diploma or GED, compared to 95% of young people overall. Frequent placement changes and school transitions can cause kids to lose credits and fall behind.

We couldn't be more proud of their resilience and determination to walk across the stage. 🎓

Come learn what it means to be a Volunteer Advocate. A staff member will walk you through the role and answer any questions you have about supporting children in foster care due to abuse or neglect.

No special skills are required to advocate for a child; every CASA volunteer works as part of a three-person advocacy team with staff support at every step. All you need is to show up with heart.

If you know someone who is interested, share this with them!

For dates and registration information, visit our website:
casakc.org/volunteer/become-a-casa.html -session

We're honored to be named a 2026 Impact 100 Partner of United Way of Greater Kansas City! 🎉

The Impact 100 portfolio recognizes organizations selected through a rigorous process, representing a broad cross section of human services across our region. For Jackson County CASA, this support directly strengthens our mission, ensuring every Kansas City child in foster care due to abuse or neglect has a voice in court.

Thank you, United Way of Greater Kansas City, for this meaningful recognition and your continued investment in our community’s youth who are in foster care.

This month and every month, we celebrate Pride. 🏳️‍🌈

The CASA house is a place where every young person can show up exactly as they are. LGBTQ+ youth make up an estimated 20–30% of youth in foster care, and every one of them deserves an advocate who meets them with affirmation and genuine care.

We're proud to be part of the Human Rights Campaign's All Children All Families initiative, which has helped equip our team with the training and tools to serve every youth with dignity, confidence, and respect. 💙🏳️‍🌈