Technical Assistance Program Grant Awarded to Child Advocates of Placer County
June 2006

(Auburn, CA) - Child Advocates of Placer County (CAPC), who manages the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program in Placer, received a $3,000 Technical Assistance Program grant from Placer Community Foundation to assist with fund development.

The grant will be used to support consultant services for developing a donor database and developing the Board of Directors into a resource for soliciting support from the business community in Placer County. With this assistance, CAPC will have the ability to expand its Placer CASA program, which promotes and supports quality volunteer advocacy to help assure each child affected by abuse and neglect thrive in a safe, permanent, nurturing home. There are approximately 700 children removed from their homes in Placer County each year as a result of abuse, neglect, or violence in the home. This grant gives the agency the opportunity to develop a strong fund raising arm to increase revenues that will enable us to increase the number of advocates serving foster children in Placer County.

Each CAPC board member is responsible to actively participate in fundraising events. Developing our ability (individually and as a cohesive group) to implement fund development strategies and tactics will make us even more effective in this capacity. "Going out into the community for financial support requires a certain level of finesse in communication and negotiation. An investment in the development of the board to hone such skills will reap long term positive results for CAPC as a whole,” said Lorraine Rinker, CAPC Board Chair.

About Child Advocates of Placer County
Child Advocates was formed two years ago and is currently serving 15 foster children. Count Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children of Placer County advocates in Court to identify safe, permanent living alternatives for the children of Placer County who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or violence. CASA trained volunteers advocate for the child's best interests in the courtroom for: educational plans for success; appropriate medical/dental care; safe, permanent homes; understand and communicate with the child on what is happening in court and moving forward; provide a consistent adult in their life.

About Placer Community Foundation
Originally founded as a private foundation in 1948, the Board of Directors strategically restructured the Placer Community Foundation (PCF) to support its mission of encouraging philanthropy for the betterment of communities in our region. The Foundation's assets now total $5 million.

The Foundation builds a permanent collection of charitable gifts from a variety of sources, in amounts both large and small. The gifts are pooled and invested. Each year, earnings from the funds are returned to the community in the form of grants, scholarships, and other charitable distributions. The principal of the collection grows with each new gift, producing income that, for generations to come, will continue to meet local needs, build the community's capacity to help itself, and improve the quality of life for all residents.

The Placer Community Foundation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 50l(c)(3), and is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes.

For more information, about PCF, write: info at casaplacer.org

(Auburn, CA) – Child Advocates of Placer County (CAPC), who manages the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program in Placer, is pleased to announce the huge success of the Los Lagos Garden Tour fundraiser. Six Los Lagos residences opened their gardens to its community and invited guests for touring on a sunny Sunday afternoon in May.

Over 280 guests attended the successful benefit for CAPC, raising over $12,000. “We are so grateful and thrilled with the generosity of the residents of Los Lagos and guests. The funds raised at the garden tour will be used to recruit and train additional volunteers so we can increase the number of children we serve in Placer County,” said Sally White, Executive Director of CAPC.

We sincerely thank our event committee, especially Trish and Frank Cvetovac for their tireless effort, the garden-tour homeowners, contributors, donors, volunteers, and guests for making the first annual Los Lagos Garden Tour benefiting CAPC a huge success!

Featured Sponsors/Contributors:

Event Co-Chairs: Trish Cvetovac, Los Lagos Event Chair & CASA Volunteer Frank Cvetovac Becky Martin, Child Advocates of Placer County Patty Carozzi, Child Advocates of Placer County Garden Tour Homeowner Hosts: Giesla Dominguez Celeste Heritage Dick & Bobbi Nathanson Steve & Sami Lebastchi Bob & Carol Parrish Tony & Barb Tonso Volunteers: Brandy Beals, Cecilia Beard, Beverly Bell, Linda Brewer, Rita Capponi, Patty Carozzi, Michaela Cornell, Ed Corominas, Brenda Crum, Jo Curtis, Judy & Bud Curva, Chuck & Donna Decuir, John Diskin, Cynthia Elliott, Betty & Tom Fleming, Marcia Garcia, Elaine Giamona, Kathy Gire, Charoltte Greenhagle, Carol Hachmeister, Jim Heinz, Golden Henning, Celeste Heritage, Lynn Knoll, Lois Koenig, Shirley LeRoy, Theresa Leyerle, Becky Martin, Murial Moore, Ember Nagle, Debi Nason, Carolyn & Mike Nickey, Ann Marie Olsen, Josie Oslin, Sean Perez, Linda Robinson, Ginny Simms, Carolyn Smith, Connie Staples, JoAnn Struebing, Clare Thain, Tony Tonso, Lyn & Betty Trembly, Laura Vezenor, Sally White, Mary Wood

Food & Beverages provided by: Spoons Granite Bay Market Tahoe Joe’s of Roseville Stagecoach Bar & Grill of Folsom Monkey Cat of Auburn Blattler’s by Hoffmann All Seasons All Reasons Fine Catering A Chef’s Affair Tea & Lavender shortbread by Cynthia Elliott Max’s Desserts Starbucks Granite Bay Landscape Architect: Ronald J. Allison Lockdown Brewing Company, Myles Deniz Procissi Cellars Chevalier Winery, Jim & Karen Newman Naggiar Vinyards and Winery Wilson Vineyards – Clarksburg on the Delta Comic delivery by: Brad Bonar, Jr. Music provided by: Mike Galane and Stuart Rawlings Band; Men Behaving Loudly (Jay Corbett Band); Mayday (Jim Landis Band) Automobiles provided by: Doug Sutherland, Judy & Bud Curva, Gloria & Jim Johnston, Ron & Marcia Garcia, Tim Landis, Lane Borges, Tony & Barb Tonso, and Jim Heinz In-Kind Sponsors:Sir Speedy Printing, Costco, Trader Joes, Epic Plastic, Raley’s, John & Linda Riberio

ABC Television Network Investigates Foster Care In America
CASA of Placer County Offers a Local Solution for Our Community
June 2006

Nationally, there are more than 500,000 children in the child welfare system. Of those children, over 1,200 are right here in Placer County. As part of a complex system, often these children don’t have anyone looking out for their best interests.

Beginning Thursday, June 1, 2006, the ABC Television Network took an in-depth look into our nation’s foster care system. The report examined all sides of the story and offers solutions to engage local community members.

Child Advocates of Placer County (CASA) offers you an opportunity for a local perspective as a follow up to this national report.

Everyday people do make a difference in the lives of these children. CASA of Placer County is a network of community volunteers that advocate for children who, through no fault of their own, are placed in the child welfare system. With more than 20 active volunteers currently serving 15 children, Child Advocates of Placer County’s CASA Program offers an opportunity right here in our community to make a difference.

In a report, Diane Sawyer “discovers that having one loving and stable adult in a damaged child's life can make all the difference.” The primary role of a CASA volunteer is to be the one constant adult for a child navigating the social welfare system. CASA of Placer County volunteers commit themselves to a case until a child is placed in a safe, permanent home.

Since its inception in December 2003, Placer County CASA volunteers have advocated for more than 30 children. Supporting these children can be done through donation of time and/or dollars by: becoming a volunteer advocate and helping a child directly; providing support monetarily; joining the Board of Directors; working at events.

The ABC Network aired a series of stories, on the following dates June 1, 2 and 3, 2006 including-CALLING ALL ANGELS, a PRIMETIME report, on Thursday, June 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET).

As part of a News-division wide call to action, additional reports on foster care aired on GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS TONIGHT, NIGHTLINE and 20/20 throughout Thursday, June 1, Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3, 2006.

Be part of the solution. Offer a local story IN our community!

Local CASA “Volunteer Extraordinaire” Receives Award for Putting Children First at Child Abuse Prevention Council’s Luncheon
April 10, 2006

(Roseville, CA) - By having made a significant impact on the lives of children, Karen Baker, “volunteer extraordinaire” was awarded in the Social Services category for Putting Children First at the annual Child Abuse Prevention Council’s luncheon on April 7, 2006 at Sun City, Roseville. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions over the past year in the lives of Placer’s children and families.

For eight years, Baker has served as a CASA volunteer providing a critical link between children, the courts and foster parents. In a particular case involving many siblings, for over three years Baker was the sole source of information for the children from the courtroom. Baker has a full time job, which normally does not provide a challenge, but to achieve the goal of placing all siblings into a loving foster care home, she took sick leave and vacation time to advocate and be the confidant for these children.

Baker, a kindergarten teacher, said, “It takes an entire community to raise a child”. Baker is one of many in this arena to help raise children, which she states, “Is part of the hub in the circle when it comes to the courtroom.”

CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Placer County advocates in Court to find safe, permanent living alternatives for the children of Placer County who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or violence.CASA trained volunteers advocate for the child's best interests in the courtroom for: educational plans for success;appropriate medical/dental care;safe, permanent homes; understand and communicate with the child on what is happening in court and moving forward; provide a consistent adult in their life.

CASA Placer County Appoints Members To Its Board
February 2006

Executive Director Sally White today announced the appointment of two new members to the CASA Placer County board of directors.

These two new members bring a wealth of experience to increase community awareness, efficiency, and effectiveness for CASA and for child advocacy," Executive Director White said. "The expertise in this group will go a long way toward helping CASA to expand and achieve that goal."

Brief biographies of appointed board chairs are below:

Patty Carozzi, appointed CASA Placer County Marketing Director, is a Realtor® and has over 20 years combined marketing, operations and customer service experience in real estate, consulting and high tech industries. Ms. Carozzi has spent several years in service to her community volunteering for organizations in various roles such as, Project Read-Literacy Volunteers of America, Rebuilding Together, Cal Veterans Fund, Arts & Business Council, Special Olympics, KVIE public television pledge drive, Blood Drives and various breast cancer awareness programs. Ms. Carozzi is a graduate of California State University, Hayward with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, Public Relations option.

Lorraine Rinker, is Principal Strategist of Rinker and Associates, a consulting company focusing on business advancement and career transition. By applying her passion for helping others find their next-step through career and business consulting, Ms. Rinker has literally made it her business to help people make a life, not just a living. Appointed CASA Placer County Board Chairman in 2005, Ms. Rinker is very active in the community particularly with human rights campaigns and children advocacy programs. As a former Fortune 100 IT Executive, Ms. Rinker brings business enterprise and operations experience to our leadership team.

About CASA
CASA – Count Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Placer County advocates in Court to find safe, permanent living alternatives for the children of Placer County who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or violence. CASA trained volunteers advocate for the child's best interests in the courtroom for: educational plans for success; appropriate medical/dental care;safe, permanent homes; understand and communicate with the child on what is happening in court and moving forward; provide a consistent adult in their life.