Text Box: 2007 was a big year for us. In 2006 the Placer Dependency Court referred only nine children to us. In 2007 they sent us 53 children! Today we are serving 61 foster youth and have nine more waiting for CASAs. We are very proud of this growth and expect to nearly double the number of children we serve by the end of 2008. Two critical elements must come together to provide a CASA for a foster youth. First, we need someone who is willing to give a huge chunk of time to a child for a year. After undergoing over 30 hours of training, our CASA volunteers spend 12 to 15 hours a month investigating their case and building a Text Box: bond with their foster youth. Secondly, we need financial supporters. We receive less than 20% of our funding from government sources; the remainder comes from foundations and individual donors. It costs about $2,000 per year to recruit, screen, train and supervise a CASA volunteer. If you find you don’t have the time to become a CASA, consider becoming a CASA supporter! Visit our website for more details: www.casaplacer.org. Text Box: From the Executive Director Don Kleinfelder

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The CASA Advocate
Text Box: marketing, health care, and information technology industries. Yet even with this diversity, we all have one thing in common - a passion for improving the lives of children. We’ve grown dramatically over the past two years, expanding from five members to twelve, and we have some very strong candidates waiting in the wings. We’ve built this board incrementally, developing trusting relationships as a team. As a result we are committed to providing the vision and fortitude necessary to ensure the overall well-being of Child Advocates of Placer County. The biggest lesson I’ve learned during the past three years as Board Chair and President is this: You can be a voice for someone who has none. You can be an advocate for someone who thought nobody cared. And, you can bring a smile back to the face of someone who has known only tears. And when that someone is a child, there is hope for a bright future. On behalf of the entire Board, thank you for your ongoing support of this very important endeavor for children’s advocacy in Placer County. Text Box: Every child deserves to have a childhood filled with joy, laughter, and wonderful memories. But when their world is turned upside down, and their voice becomes lost in all the noise within the system, well… Being the voice for that child through advocacy programs like Child Advocates of Placer County is the least we can do to help bring a smile back to that child’s face. As Board Chairman and President for Child Advocates of Placer County it remains a privilege for me to serve this community and its children. During my three years as Board Chairman, I have watched this organization and its board grow. My goal for this board since “day one” has been to provide the key leadership and guidance needed by our organization to become sustainable for the long term. In this way, I believe we will be the most effective in our service to those who need us. We have a well-balanced board representing both public and private sectors, from corporate to small business. Our combined expertise spans financial, legal, public relations, Text Box: Message from Our Board Chair — Lorraine Rinker