SHOW UP. STAND UP. LIFT UP. FOSTER YOUTH
MISSION
To be there for every foster child in Silicon Valley who has experienced abuse, neglect and/or abandonment.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
VISION
A Silicon Valley where every foster child has the nurturing support and resources needed to thrive.
The list represents the full roster of board members during FY24.
CEO
Frederick J. Ferrer
Chair
Steve Hoffman
Vice Chair
Monique Edmondson
Treasurer
Arlene Chan
Secretary
Tony Rangel
*Elected to serve as Board Chair in FY25.
Board Members
Megan Bazan
Penny Blake
Kristen Burton
Debbie Crouse
Kathryne Faherty
Amber Fox
Vik Ghai
Jeannette Guinn
Note: Consent was obtained to use photos of actual CASAs and their youths. Pictured children, adolescents and NMDs do not have active cases—they are former foster youth.
Ehi Oiyemhonlan
Stephanie Peng
Leslie Rodriguez
Michael Schlemmer
Ben Shively
Rosie Tichener
Karen Whipple*
LEVELING UP
Fiscal year 2024 marked the first year of our current strategic plan, and with it, came a dedication to advance the work we do for foster children, teens and young adults. Although we dedicated resources and energy to every age group we serve, special attention was given to teens and young adults.
Teens and young adults who prematurely exit foster care are more likely to struggle with mental health issues, become teen parents, face housing insecurity, use substances and disengage from available resources. These are not the outcomes they deserve. It is imperative that our teens and young adults are equipped with the tools they need to successfully transition into independent living, so that they can not only survive, but THRIVE.
This past year, we met with countless experts across the country to identify interventions that will level up our CASA Program offerings for teens and young adults. The findings of our THRIVE Study will inform future program offerings aimed at ensuring our teens and young adults are prepared to live independently when exiting foster care.
While conducting our THRIVE study, we also secured a contract from our longtime funder and partner, Sobrato Philanthropies, to help design a ‘youth space’ at their Parkmoor facility in San Jose. The ‘youth space’, primarily serving foster and system-involved teens and young adults, will offer various services, from wellness and academic support to vocational training.
Our focus on teens and young adults is just an example of the work we accomplished in Year One of our strategic plan. Check out our report card on page 11 to see the progress we made on other strategies.
Fiscal year 2024 also brought an unexpected change in the number of children entering dependency.
Going from good to greatLEVELING UP - that’s what our strategic plan calls us to do.
After two years of seeing a steady decline, we experienced a steep increase. With more children to serve and a dedication to serve them more deeply and effectively, we turned to Harvard Business School Community Partners (HBSCP) for help. HBSCP offers pro bono consulting services for nonprofits, powered by Harvard Business School Alumni. Our HBSCP team was asked to audit our current program operations to better prepare us for changes in dependency, while delivering on our promise to serve deeply and effectively. Their findings and recommendations are now being implemented to LEVEL UP our CASA Program.
Doing whatever it takes to LIFT UP foster children, teens and young adults isn’t easy and we can’t do it alone. That is why we contracted Berkeley Media Studies Group, experts in media advocacy, to train us and our dependency partners on how to shape child welfare policies and practices that impact the children we collectively serve.
Going from good to great - LEVELING UP - that’s what our strategic plan calls us to do. With your continued support, we’ll do just that. It’s what our children, teens and young adults deserve.
Frederick J. Ferrer CEO
Steve Hoffman Board Chair FY24
How Cultural Connection Improves Mental and Emotional Well-Being of Foster Youth
By Guest Author, Donielle Prince, MS.Ed, Ph.D
CASA Program as an Exemplar of the Science of PACEs
The science of positive and adverse childhood experiences (PACEs) has become increasingly well-known to the general public. However, what may be less understood is how important access to affirming and representative cultural connections is to the mental and emotional well-being of all youth. For foster youth, the nature of their experience in the child welfare system can sometimes mean they become disconnected from their cultural communities. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) can help prevent this loss and bolster cultural connections for foster youth, creating life-long benefits.
By design, Child Advocates of Silicon Valley’s CASA Program helps meet the core mental and emotional well-being needs of our most vulnerable children. The program’s model of connecting foster youth with Advocate Volunteers reflects the most recent scientific discoveries regarding child well-being. “PACEs” refers to the voluminous body of research on positive and adverse childhood experiences (see Figure 1.a). Research on positive childhood experiences (PCEs) has shown that greater exposure to PCEs can significantly decrease the well-known negative physical and mental health impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
FIGURE 1.A
Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs)
Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)
1) Ability to talk with family about feelings.
2) Sense that family is supportive during difficult times.
3) Enjoyment of participation in community traditions.
4) Feeling a sense of belonging in high school.
5) Feeling supported by friends.
6) Having at least two non-parent adults who genuinely care.
7) Feeling safe and protected by an adult in the home.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
1) Physical Abuse
2) Emotional Abuse
3) Sexual Abuse
4) Physical and Emotional Neglect
5) Relative with Mental Illness
6) Incarcerated Family Member
7) Witnessing Domestic Violence
8) Substance Abuse in the Home
9) Divorced Parents
An important finding regarding PCEs was reported by Bethell et.al. (2019): The authors suggested that PCEs are best developed through the presence of meaningful safe, stable, and nurturing relationships.
CASA Volunteers’ advocacy and mentorship have always been rooted in a belief in the powerful, transformative impact of a significant and positive relationship.
By definition, foster youth have encountered at least one of the traumatic adverse childhood experiences. Recent research shows that their well-being is significantly improved by as much exposure to PCEs as possible. Anecdotal evidence, including general storytelling within the CASA community, has long made clear that CASAs make a critical difference in the lives of foster youth. Even more powerfully, recent initiatives led by Child Advocates of Silicon Valley further demonstrate this transformative effect through the use of data on the activities that CASA Volunteers engage in with youth. This data reveals that CASAs greatly increase their youths’ exposure to essential, resilience-building PCEs.
Día de los Muertos | October 2023 Aztec dancer cleansing the space before beginning their traditional dance at one of our fifteen FY24 events, promoting exposure to PCEs.
The presence of a safe, stable and nurturing relationship with someone who reflects the child’s identity, has the power to help affirm the child’s sense of, and connection to, their cultural identity.
A Day at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo | February 2024
CASA Volunteer comforting their youth at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (See page 12 for more details on this event).
Día de los Muertos | October 2023
Youth painting CASA’s face in traditional Day of the Dead face paint.
Día de los Muertos | October 2023
Youth and CASA Volunteer painting stuffed Xolos as part of our event’s activities.
CASAs, Culture and Child Well-Being
The research on PACEs also points to the importance of having a culturally diverse CASA volunteer force. Two of the PCEs, “participation in community traditions” and “sense of belonging”, highlight the fact that cultural identity is fundamental to child mental and emotional well-being, especially for foster youth who may not only be disconnected from their families, but also from their entire cultural communities when placed in out of home care.
The presence of a safe, stable and nurturing relationship with someone who reflects the child’s identity, has the power to help affirm the child’s sense of, and connection to, their cultural identity. This kind of relationship also provides much needed role modeling, demonstrating to the child that their cultural identity is represented in any kind of future they can imagine. Children learn about their CASAs’ lives and experiences, so when there is a cultural affinity, the child can begin to view themselves as capable of creating those kinds of experiences for themselves as well. This role modeling and connection to culture is so vital to increasing foster youth’s exposure to PCEs, that it becomes imperative to recruit CASAs that reflect the cultural backgrounds of the youth served.
Even when youth cannot be matched with a CASA that reflects their identity, it is important to draw upon the CASA Program resources to ensure that all youth have access to experiences, activities and people within the CASA community who can support identity affirmation and cultural representation. I learned this first-hand when I served as a CASA. I recall taking my youth, who is of South Asian descent, to a restaurant with South Asian cuisine. Her reaction was like a Sacramento CASA training on culture come to life: she was so excited, so happy, and talked to me about every food that was familiar to her, and that her family used to cook regularly. She held precious memories related to the family meals. It was so clear that connecting her, even in this seemingly small way, with aspects of her culture was affirming, meaningful, and even healing for her. Imagine providing a variety of events and experiences that could have that impact on a youth navigating through the foster care system.
The CASA model has always been an unwitting, yet far ahead of its time, organizational case study of the power of PCEs. Doing more to center cultural connection in the CASA model will certainly amplify CASAs’ transformative impact on the diverse youth these programs serve.
Reference Bethell, C., Jones, J., Gombojav, N., Linkenbach, J., & Sege, R. (2019). Positive childhood experiences and adult mental and relational health in a statewide sample. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(11), e193007. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3007
About the writer, Donielle Prince
Donielle Prince, MS.Ed, Ph.D. is a mental health educator with expertise in trauma and trauma-informed practice, as well as mental health in schools. From 2010-2017, Donielle served as a CASA in Sacramento, and still keeps in touch with her youth, now an adult in her late twenties. After several years of providing counseling services to both children and adults, Donielle joined PACEs Connection, where she provided training for organizations seeking to center trauma-informed practices. During her tenure there, Donielle was proud to serve the nine counties in the Bay Area region where she was raised in (East Palo Alto). Today, Donielle provides educational resources about trauma at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Creating Bridges FOR LIFE’S LONGEST BOND
The bond between siblings is one of the most significant and enduring relationships we experience. From nearly the beginning of life to the end, siblings are often the relationship that most commonly survives extreme life changes and difficulties. For our foster youth, once removed from their parents, they are often also separated from their siblings due to local challenges with placements. Child Advocates of Silicon Valley and our Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers work hard to create spaces where our youth can experience positive childhood memories and maintain strong connections with their siblings. These efforts help sustain the supportive relationships that are so crucial to their well-being.
It Takes A Village
Athena and Lisa, two school-aged sisters, were initially assigned to our CASA Volunteer, Anuja, who describes the sisters as joyful, fun and always laughing. As Anuja learned more about the sisters’ case, she discovered they were part of a larger sibling group. The sisters, who had once lived with their five other siblings, were now separated and placed with different caregivers, some even out of the county. Each of the seven siblings were assigned CASA Volunteers to support them and connect them to necessary resources.
This story is a recently closed Dependency Court case. The photos and case are shared with permission from Maricela (Lisa and Athena’s mom).
Recognizing the importance of sibling relationships, Anuja suggested that all the CASAs involved in this case work together to provide the siblings with time and opportunities to bond. Through their collective efforts, the five CASA Volunteers organized outings that all the siblings could attend together.
“From the beginning of the case, we worked together and ensured the sibling visits would continue. It was important for us, and we knew it was important for the youth to see their siblings. At first, we would coordinate through Zoom catch-up meetings, but now we mostly communicate through our active text chain. We would all use Child Advocates’ events as opportunities to bring all the kids together. Some of the CASA Volunteers and social workers even drove out of the county and back just to reunite the siblings for these events.”
Anuja, CASA Volunteer
Athena and Lisa cherished the time spent with their siblings at Child Advocates’ hosted events and at local parks and museums, like Happy Hollow Park & Zoo and the Children’s Discovery Museum, who partner with Child Advocates to provide positive childhood experiences for children in foster care. To preserve these memories, the CASAs made a point of taking group photos of the siblings at each event. These photos were printed and given to each child, providing them with a tangible memory of their time together.
“It was challenging to gather all the kids for a group picture because they were so excited about the activities at the events, but we made it a goal. The youth were thrilled to keep the photos, and I know Athena, in particular, was happy to have one. She later took the picture to school to show her teacher and friends and kept it with her.”
Anuja, CASA Volunteer
Our events and resources serve as a bridge for foster youth, providing them with positive childhood experiences proven to combat toxic stress from experienced trauma. Because of the overwhelming community support we receive from CASAs, donors, funders, and partners organizations, we can organize events and offer programming that connects our youth with nature, promotes mindfulness, encourages healthy nutrition, and strengthens their bonds with the community—all while helping them create supportive relationships that can last a lifetime.
Children’s Discovery Museum
CASA Anuja with Lisa and Athena at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
Forever Mom
In addition to helping Lisa and Athena reconnect with their siblings, Anuja drew on her educational background to support the sisters’ caregiver, Marisela, by providing her with valuable educational resources tailored for the girls. These resources included educational plans and attending school meetings for the sisters.
As a CASA, Anuja consistently provided the court with detailed reports showing that Athena and Lisa’s placement with Marisela, who was deeply committed to offering the girls every opportunity to thrive, was truly in their best interest. After two years as the sisters’ caregiver, Marisela took a significant step by adopting the girls as her own. Anuja describes the adoption day as filled with excitement, as Lisa and Athena expressed their deep gratitude, saying they were thankful Marisela had chosen them, just as they had chosen her as their forever mom.
Marisela took the sisters to their Adoption Day Ceremony in a limousine.
Lisa and Athena’s Adoption Day.
Marisela’s commitment to the girls extends beyond motherhood, as she is also dedicated to nurturing their sibling bond. Since the adoption, Marisela has made an agreement with all of the siblings’ caregivers to stay in touch and organize opportunities for them to connect. Marisela has also signed Lisa and Athena up for extracurricular activities where they can explore different interests and reconnect with their culture, including practicing folklorico Mexican dance.
“I am happy that Athena and Lisa have the opportunity to connect with their siblings in meaningful ways. I truly feel happy that they have these opportunities, especially when I hear them laughing and playing. It’s a precious moment for all, including myself. I want my girls to be happy, and I know that part of their happiness is being connected to their siblings.”
Lisa and Athena’s journey is a testament to the impact caring adults and a supportive community can have on the lives of foster youth. Through the dedication of CASA Volunteers like Anuja, the unwavering love of caregivers like Marisela, and the positive childhood experiences we’re able to offer through our events and partner offerings, the children we serve are able to heal from the trauma they’ve endured and experience a new normal. As Lisa and Athena continue to enjoy their new normal with Marisela, we will continue to work towards a similar outcome for their siblings.
-Marisela, forever mom
The sister’s favorite Child Advocates event was Grow with Yoga hosted in January 2024. During this event, our youth had the opportunity to welcome the new year and learn yoga mindfulness practices. Lisa also enjoyed our 7th Annual Spring Party on Ice event in April 2024 with Sharkie.
Spring Party on Ice Lisa and Sharkie bonding at our 7th Annual Spring Party on Ice. An event possible thanks to the Santa Clara Valley Blackhawks Hockey Association and Sharks Ice at San Jose.
THE COMMUNITY SHOWS UP
for Foster Youth
Throughout fiscal year 2024, various members of our community SHOWED UP to support our foster youth. Below are some of the year’s highlights.
June 2023
Began implementing our FY 24 - 26 Strategic Plan
See all the progress we made in our first year on the report card on pages 23-24.
September 2023
Shell’s Giving Pump Campaign
From August 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023, Shell raised over $50,000 for our foster youth. For every gallon of fuel sold, participating locations donated one cent to select children’s charities, including 13 California Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Programs this year.
July 2023
3rd Annual CASA Summit
Over 65 CASA Volunteers SHOWED UP for our foster youth by participating in a day of training. Throughout the training CASAs heard from expert Julie Kurtz, Founder and CEO of the Center for Optimal Brain Integration (COBI) and author of the award-winning book Understanding My Brain: Becoming Human(E)!
November 2023
Brock Purdy Supports Foster Youth
San Francisco 49ers’ Quarterback, Brock Purdy SHOWED UP for our foster youth by choosing us for the My Cause My Cleats campaign. This brought awareness for Santa Clara County’s foster youth and helped raise more than $40,000.
February 2024
Happy Hollow Foundation and Kaiser Permanente
Happy Hollow Foundation and Kaiser Permanente partner together to offer our youth Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) by providing them with a full day of fun at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo.
June 2024
Black, White and Pink Ball
Black, White and Pink Ball participants SHOWED UP for foster youth by raising nearly $300,000!
December 2023
2023 Holiday Celebrations
To mark the end of the year, staff organized the yearly Holiday Party for our youth. Thanks to the generosity of our Toy Drive donors, 94% of the children we serve received a gift bag during the holidays.
March 2024
Winter 2024 CASA Graduation
Throughout the 2024 fiscal year, we had two CASA graduations, with our last one this year being in March. 65% of our CASA graduates in FY24 met at least one of our targeted demographics; Black, Hispanic, males, under age 35 and LGBTQ+.
Advocacy Plans
FY24 OUTCOMES
In FY24, we created individual Advocacy Plans for 279 youth. These plans measure each child’s well-being and development and are first drafted when a CASA is assigned to a youth. They are then updated at each court hearing date, serving to inform and record the services and resources provided to the child. Over the course of FY24, 263 out of 279 youth had an Advocacy Plan update. The following data is specific to these children only.
Our Children Have Improved Well-Being
There are multiple areas we consider when measuring outcomes for the children and youth we serve, all of which are crucial to their cognitive and physical development. We use the Ages & Stages Questionnaire-3 for children ages 0–5 and the Measures of Well-Being Survey for children ages six and older. Here is their improvement by each domain:
AGES 0-5 AGES 6+
Overall, 37% of children ages 0-5 and 48% of youth ages 6+ showed improvement on the measured outcomes.
Children’s Needs Were Met
Advocacy Plans are also used to identify a youth’s needs specific to the following areas: physical health, emotional health, learning and longer term impact (e.g. housing, employment). CASAs help ensure these needs are met, then record them when updating the Advocacy Plan.
OF CHILDREN WHO HAD ALL OR SOME NEEDS MET IN THE FOLLOWING DOMAINS:
KIDSTRAVAGANZA | May 2024 Youth at our duck station during our
62% OF FOSTER YOUTH SERVED ARE HISPANIC.
POSITIVE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
According to the California Surgeon General, prioritizing these seven key areas can reduce levels of toxic stress and actively combat the effects of experienced trauma: supportive relationships, healthy sleep practices, physical activity, nutrition, mindfulness, mental health care and access to nature. Child Advocates supports CASAs and their foster youth by providing access to critical resources and experiences that target these areas. This table illustrates the percentages of children who engaged in positive experiences within each area during FY24, as reported by their CASAs.
BY TYPE OF EXPERIENCE unduplicated by type of activity
Youth holding their CASA Volunteer’s hand.
FY 24 BY THE NUMBERS
373 youth were assigned a CASA Volunteer.
GENDER OF YOUTH SERVED
RACE OF YOUTH SERVED
WHO WE SERVE*
OUR CASA VOLUNTEERS
The following list represents the dedicated individuals who committed to SHOWING UP and serving our foster youth in FY24. This list does not include CASA Volunteers who chose to remain anonymous.
Perihan Abdelbaky
Supriya Agarwal
Beena Agarwal
Sofia Agboatwalla
Seema Sophia Aggarwal
Nicholas Aguilar
Danoush Ahmadi
Marwa Ahmed
Maria Aji
Judy Alessandri
Danielle Allison
Ted Althausen
Rekha Amble
Brandi Amm
Michele Anderson
Manishkumar Ankola
Marijke Annis
Gaylene Austin
Cindy Aviles
Joelle Baranowski
Rhonda Barros
Talyah Basit
Christina Batelle
Blake Baza
Laurette Beeson
Rob Bellinger
Marlee Benefiel
Amanda Benton
Shivani Bhakta
Dena Billings
Angela Birts
Kristine Blanton
Maria Bledsoe
Jennifer Blostein
Katharina Borchert
Nancy Boughton
Philiam Boyer
Dana Bruning
Marc Buller
Anuja Burns
Marie Burns
Madison Butz
Shannon Cadegan-Schlieper
Chelsie Calandin
Steven Campbell
Stacy Castle
Ramya Chandramohan
Dawnielle Chaney
Annette Chastain
Dorothy Chen
Aileen Cheng
Charleen Cheng
Lisa Cheskin
Barry Cheskin
Rita Chiang
Raisa Chowdhury
Nicole Chung
Elizabeth Cole
My Doan Cong
Beth Ann Cookman
Sally Cooperrider
Lori Corbari
Suzanne Cox
Sandy Creighton
Angela D’Orfani
RJ Daily
Beena Das
Dinyar Dastoor
Jessie Davidson
Sylvia De La Garza
Luci Della-Maggiore
Hashanthi De Silva-Perera
Partha Dey
Kelly DiNucci
Jackie Do
Zach Douglas
Tara Dowdell
Nick Dowling
Len Dulski
Julie Dutton
Rachel Ekstrand
Paula Elizondo
309
30,156
$1.2 M active Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers hours contributed by CASA Volunteers estimated value of CASA Volunteer hours
Kathleen Elliot
Sidney Faust
Bob Feldman
Bear Flintgruber
Daniel Flores
Catherine Crystal Foster
David Frykenberg
Rubi Galvan
Julie Garcia
Rosemary Garcia
Trisha Garrett
Mary Garrett
Amy Garson
Denise Giacomini
Karen Gill
Kimberly Gilland Al-Baghly
Katie Gioioso
Jessica Giordano
Hillary Goddard
Maureen Golden
Jessica Gonzalez
Karen Guldan
Namita Gupta
Connie Hall
Kristina Hannan
Jeanne Hardebeck
Esther Hare
Jan Harrison
Amy Hawkins
Summer Henderson
Rosanna Herrera
Kerry Hill
Terri Hirahara
Peggy Hock-McCalley
Lisa Hogan
Mark Hoose
Dawn Hopkins
Taylor Hovish
Nancy Huff
Karen Hunt
Kathy Hunter
Joelle Hurlston
Michelle Husain
Barbara Illowsky
Ayush Jain
Susie Jang
Cortney Jansen
Allegra Jarvis
Kristin Jazdzewski
Rebecca Jedel
Christopher Jensen
Cindy Jermasek
Janet Jones
Karen Jordan
Ellen Judd
Allison Kancharla
Jennifer Katzen
Taylor Kaul
Simer Kaur
Vandana Kaushal
Lana Kawakami
Megan Keehan
Vani Keil
Beth Keller
Patricia Kelner
William Kennedy
Emma Kenney
Maryam Khan
Rachel Khattar
Gloria Kim
Becca King
Kristina Kirby
Karen Krall
Alison LaBouff
Michelle Lam
Jacqueline Lares
Marvin Laron
Shabbir Latif
Debra Law
Stacey Lawyer
Sam Lee
Christa Lee
John Lee
Corly Leung
Sherri Li
Wee-Lee Lim
Jeff Lin
Robin Lipscomb
Debbie Locke
Vanessa Lopez
Robert Luo
Viviane Ly
Ryan Lynch
Angela Lynch
Ken MacMurray
Jan Maisen
Edward Maisen
Robert Manetta
Maria Manzano
Bob Martinez
Sabrina Martire
Filza Mazahir
Melissa McCoy
Ron McDowell
Jessica McGill
Isabelle McNeil
Oriana Medina
Deanna Mendelsohn
Rachel Michelberg
Allison Montonye
Linda Morse
Kristin Mullin
Cindy Musumeci
Maria Nelson
Carla Neumann
Kevin Nguyen
Josephine Nguyen
Kelly Nguyen
Mankamal Nidhi
Jim Niederjohn
Jill Norman
Stuart Norton
Joe Nuñez
Jack O’Hollearn
Cindy O’Leary
Cynthia Oceguera
Ehi Oiyemhonlan
Rebecca Onchi
Richard Ong
Gabriela Ornelas
Rob Ortega
Andrew Otey
Socorro Otteson
Lindsay Packard
Ben Parruck
Our community partner, Allera Sports, playing soccer with one of our youth.
Adele Peterson
Carl Peterson
Stephanie Pham
Yvonne Phan
Leslie Pickering
Kristina Pistone
Kathy Polzin
Valerie Quan
Andrea Quement
Renae Quon
Roderick Radunzel
Rasheeda Raji
Amber Ramey
Areli Ramirez
Mark Rea
Ute Ren
Jana Rendon
Valerie Renggli
Emily Renuart
Lucille Reyes
Melissa Reyes
Katie Richards
Lisa Rodas
Christina Romero
Kelly Rose
Marcy Rosenberg
Betsy Rosoff
Katherine Roster
Aurora Rozo
Linda Ruiz
Christine Russell
Paulette Saldanha (Penzvalto)
Karl Salomon
Rekha Sampath
Mary Ann Sanidad
Nancy Santilli
Amy Santullo
David Schneck
Sara Scibetta
Jasmine Scott
Beth Seibert
Hitesh Shah
Manankumar Shah
Sahra Shosman
Yuriko Shotter
Sonia Silva
Diana Silveira
Becca Singley
Douglas Keith Smith
Kerry Sommer
Candace Soules
Diana Southern
Daniella Sullivan
Sandra Swage
Kristin Taylor
Isabel Taylor
Maria Tellez
Frances Teso
Rocio Tichener
Corinne Trader
Sunnie Uranga
A Day at Veggielution | March 2024
Youth painting with dirt paint at our community partner events with Veggielution.
Maritza Vallejo
Petra Van de Water
Mariel Van Tatenhove
Virginia Varela-Campos
Mike Verga
Eric Vernon-Cole
Jamie Vi
Audrey Voss
Bhargavi Wadhwa
Lu Ann Walden
Melanie Walick
Bethany Wallace
Tracy Warman-Gries
Allie Westley
Danielle Whichard
Karen Whipple
Maryanne Whitney
Cyndi Wilson
Jennifer Wilson
Bill Wolfe
Geoffrey Wright
Jingting Wu
Phil Young
CJ Young
Jorden Young
Heather Zachernuk
Zeeshan Zahoor
Janaan Zender
Sharon Pena
Revenue
Gifts & Contributions
Special Events
Government Funding
Net Investment Income
Expenses
Program
Management & General Fundraising
Financial Position
Assets
Current Assets
Property & Equipment
Other Assets
Liabilities & Net Assets
Current Liabilities
Net Assets
$2,815,620 $512,602 $1,206,045 $494,470 Total Revenue $5,028,737 $2,849,756 $479,408 $608,785 Total Expenses $3,973,944 $2,875,620 $ 25,084 $4,516,829 Total Assets $7,417,533 $363,181 $7,054,352
Total Liabilities & Net Assets $7,417,533
OUR DONORS
The following listing represents the immense community support we receive to LIFT UP the foster children we serve.
This list reflects donors who generously gave from July 1, 2023 - June 30,2024. If you find an error, please accept our apologies and contact us at development@child advocatessv.org so we can correct our records.
Diamond: $100,000+
California CASA Association
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
FIRST 5 Santa Clara County
Black, White & Pink Ball | July 2024
CASA Tracy placed her bid at our Black,
and Pink Ball event. Thanks to the participants' generosity, this event raised nearly $300,000 for our foster youth.
Santa Clara County Social Services Agency
Sobrato Family Foundation
Platinum
$25,000–$99,999
Liz & Mike Byrd
Cisco
City of Sunnyvale
El Camino Health
Kevin Gardner & Paul Morrell
Judicial Council of California
Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation
Myra Reinhard Family Foundation
Santa Clara County Office of Education
Lisa Sobrato Sonsini & Matthew Sonsini
Ticket to Dream
V. A. Michelis Fund
Velma Smith Living Trust
Walters & Wolf Companies
Warmenhoven Family Foundation
Gold
$10,000–$24,999
Au Energy
AVT Productions
Penny & Ron Blake
Carla Vandermate Capek & John Michael Capek
City of Milpitas
City of Mountain View
Destination: Home SV
Jeannette & Justin Guinn
Elizabeth & Dan Halden
Flora & Steven Hoffman
In-N-Out Burger Foundation
Intero Foundation
Los Altos Town Crier
Nordson Corporation Foundation
Cindy O’Leary
Jeff & Tony Rangel
Rosendin Foundation
Angela & Dana Stalder
Star One Credit Union
Stella B. Gross Charitable Trust
Rosie Tichener
Toyota Sunnyvale
White,
Non-Minor Dependent (NMD) shopping through our CASA Store.
Silver
$2,500–$9,999
Apple Matching Gifts Program
Applied Survey Research
Megan & David Bazan
Michelle & Manish Bhatia
Bijoux Bijoux
Kerry Billner
BMC
Brezzo Family Foundation
Kristen Burton
Cadir & Susan Lee Charitable Fund
California Highway Patrol Canyon Ranch
Bruno Carnovale
Arlene Chan & Robert Gee
Michael Charney
Lisa & Barry Cheskin
Cisco Matching Gifts Program
Citibank N.A.
Robin Cole & Richard Kubota
Connie and Bob Lurie Foundation
Debbie & Chris Crouse
Marty Cull
Helen Danna
Virginia Davies
Doering Family Foundation
Steve Dow
Durante Holland Family Charitable Fund
Jennifer Eckerman
Monique & Mark Edmondson
Leonard Edwards
Mary & Scott Eschen
Excite Credit Union
Kathryne Faherty
Family Giving Tree
Frederick Ferrer
Foothills Congregational Church
Amber & John Fox
Dana & Rob Frohwein
Traci & Nitin Ganatra
Trevor Gillespie
Gilroy Foundation
Google Matching Gifts Program
Patricia & John Hammett
Nancy Handel
Denise & Frank Hannig
Heaven’s Helping Hand Foundation
Anne & Scott Herz
iTalent Digital
Linda Itskovitz
Fiesta Mi Gente | September 2023
Foster youth created their own yarn doll at our Fiesta Mi Gente event, a multicultural celebration focusing on the traditions practiced in Latin America.
James & Rebecca Morgan Charitable Foundation
Junior League of San Jose
Kappa Alpha Theta, Eta Lambda Chapter, SCU
Vani Keil
Mia & John Kettmann
Kiwanis Club of Mountain View Foundation
Helene & Peter Koenig
Karen & David Krall
Vijay Kumar
Cristina Ledesma
Legacy San Jose Alviso Youth Foundation
Erika Luitjens
Susan & Peter Lundberg
Caroline MacCormack
Orathai & Mark MacDonald
Macquarie Asset Management
Jamshid Mahdavi & Karen Fabrizius
Elizabeth Mancera
Marjorie Mancuso
Judy Marcus
Sabrina & Gian Paolo Martire
Michael and Ina Korek Foundation Trust
Mission City Community Fund
Shelly Morales
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Jim Murphy
Kathleen Naughton
Brenda & Scott Navarrete
Kevin Nguyen
Ruth & David Norman
NVIDIA Matching Gifts Program
Eileen O’Brien
Brian O’Leary
Jane Oglesby & Cameron Esfahani
Daniel Olson
David Omara
Palo Alto Medical Foundation Sutter Health
Palo Alto Players
Kathy & Steve Polzin
Project Linus-San Jose
Sonu Ratra
Patricia Richardson
Christy & Jeff Richardson
Robert Half International Inc.
Leslie & Jason Rodriguez
Marilyn & Marc Rogers
Rotary Club of Los Altos
Rotary Club of Los Gatos Charities Foundation
Rubrik Beyond Work
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Gina Saldanha & Sridhar Ramanathan
San Jose Water Company
San Jose Woodworking
Grace Sanfilippo
Rebecca & Ayman Sayed
Linda Schiefelbein
Michael Schlemmer
Schumacher Photography
Michelle Shahroody
Ben Shively
Yuriko Shotter
Silicon Valley Capital Club
Jason Silva
Andie Sobrato
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Ann & Scott State
TOSA Foundation
Glen Tullman
Turning Wheels For Kids
Jumiana & Jan-Yu Weng
Suzanne & Thomas Werner
Karen Whipple
Beth & Ben Wilson
Eileen & Andy Wong
Gloria Young
Bronze
$1,000–$2,499
Allen & Overy LLP
Sharon & Brian Annis
Adam Arella
Associated Students of Stanford University
Jimi & Ned Barnholt
Andy Barton
Bayonet and Black Horse
Margaret Becker Edwards
Elaine & Robert Benoit
Dinesh Bettadapur
Kady Blake
Steve Bollinger
Shelley & Steve Brown
David Buseck & Linda Levine
Andrew Caine
Cal Water
Shirley & Richard Cantu
Gustavo Caraveo
Melanie Carrido
Abby Chamberlin
Mike Cinelli
Holly & Andy Cohen
Jason Conyard & Fernando Aguayo Garcia
Beth & Jordan Cookman
Core Builders
Sandy & David Creighton
Current Silicon Valley Church
Kristina Curtis
Mary Ann Dewan
Smita & Satish Dharamaraj
Nicole Dorsa
Parthiv Doshi
Joan & Alan Earhart
Nanci Eksterowicz
Mary & Robert Eve
Johanna Fogl
Kathy & Charles Fox
Valerie Fregulia
Gilroy Rotary Endowment, Inc.
Nicholas Goad & Henock
Gebreamichael Gebreamlak
Danielle Green
Sharon Greenberg
Jill & Rolf Hagenlocher
Anne & Lawrence Hambly
Susan Hampton
Dana & Tom Hayse
Healthier Kids Foundation
Heritage Bank of Commerce
Kara Herren
Rick & Heidi Herz
Tamisie Honey
Intuitive Foundation
IVI Vision
J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines
Sue & Kurt Jaggers
Sherron & Gary Kalbach
Meaghan Karabatsos & Tory Reign
Emma Kelly
Kendra Scott Santana Row
Holly & Karl Knapp
Shelly Lanier
Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation
MADSEN
Ryan & Ron Martino
Mike Matteoni
Ruth Ann McNees
Eric & Tanya Melski
Gracia & Richard Miranda
Casey Miranda
Anne & Peter Moran
Mugdha Myers
John Nakashima
Maureen O’Connor
Nell O’Donnell
Kevin O’Leary
Aaron & Christal Olbrich
Madeleine Ong
John Patterson
Mary Patterson
Gail Pellerin
Michelle & Michael Perone
Jennifer Peterson
Valerie & John Poggi
Presbyterian Women of Stone Church of Willow Glen
Tim Proschold
Blake Putney
Sam Quicke
Krish Ravikumar
Republic Services
Denise & Tom Robinson
Robinson Mountain
Lauren & Frank Salciccia
Sand Hill Global Advisors, LLC
Mary Ann & Daniel Sanidad
Santa Clara Valley Blackhawks Hockey Association
Bryan & Lisa Schader
Pamela Schramm
Herta Schreiner & Miguel Garcia
Michele & Dave Schwartz
John Sellers
Kristen & Stephen Sinnott
Starbucks Neighborhood Grants
Alex Stein
Tracy Stone
Lisa & Scott Strickland
Christie Styer
Dawn & David Sullivan
Stan Sze
University AME Zion Church
Krista Van Laan
Shari Van Loo
Justin & Tiffany Vincent
Shannon Wass
Weigen Burch Family
David Woodside
Constance & Clifton Wu
Suzi York
CASA Volunteer, Bhargavi, shopping for back to school items at our Back-to-School pop-up store.
Year 1 Report Card
The metrics contained in this report card are measures of the success in the first year of our strategic plan: July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1 reach every youth
Provide an advocate for every youth in foster care.
Waiting List
TARGET: ACTUAL: 0 30
GRADE C
The number of children entering foster care began to grow in the second half of the year. We are committed to recruiting more CASA Volunteers to address this issue.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2 serve deeply & effectively
Achieve greater impact by enhancing services to be fully inclusive, responsive, and trauma informed.
Court Report Submission Rate
TARGET: ACTUAL: 95% 93%
GRADE A
CASAs are instrumental in elevating the voice of foster youth in court. Court reports are the tool they use to do just that.
% of CASA Graduates Who Met at least one DEI Requirement
TARGET: ACTUAL: 50% 65%
GRADE A
To better meet the needs of the children on our waiting list, efforts were made to recruit hard to reach volunteers: Latino/a/x, bilingual Spanish speaker, black, LGBTQ+, male and under the age of 35.
Specific to strategy 2.3
A = 90% or higher achievement to target
B = 80-90% achievement to target
C = Less than 80% achievement to target
% of Youth Matched According to an Identified DEI Requirement
TARGET: ACTUAL: 40% 100%
GRADE A
Efforts were made to ensure children with identified DEI requirements were matched with a CASA Volunteer who met at least one of the identified requirements.
Specific to strategy 2.3
% of Children/Youth Who Attended a Child Advocates Hosted Event
TARGET: ACTUAL: 25% 40%
of age group
GRADE A
All of our events are filled with proven stress busting activities to combat the toxic stress our children endure from having experienced trauma. CASAs are highly encouraged to attend with their youth. Next year we will set even higher attendance goals.
% of Children in Dependency Wellness Court with a CASA
TARGET: ACTUAL: 70% 76%
GRADE A
Parents in Dependency Wellness Court receive additional services to overcome their substance use issues. We strive to ensure every child is assigned a CASA to further support their parents’ sobriety while in this court.
% of Non-Minor Dependents (NMDs) whose Case is Dismissed for Non-compliance
TARGET: ACTUAL:
GRADE A
Partner with Sobrato Philanthropies to launch youth space
TARGET: ACTUAL: Secure contract & design project Contract secured & design started
GRADE B
Sobrato Philanthropies is going to create a center for teens and young adults at their Parkmoor facility. We have been selected to assist in designing the space and to inform/develop onsite programming. Planning is currently underway.
CASA Satisfaction Rate
TARGET: ACTUAL: 75% 98%
GRADE A
All NMDs must fulfill court requirements to remain dependents of the court. We completed yearlong fact finding research on our NMD Thrive Initiative, which will inform development of the initiative.
We ask our CASAs for feedback year round on our events and program offerings. This includes an annual survey to ensure they are satisfied with their volunteer experience.
Pilot CASA Program with Youth who are Truant
TARGET: ACTUAL: <10% 9%
15 CASAs Trained 10 Youth Assigned
14 CASAs Trained 11 Youth Assigned
GRADE A
At the request of the Court, we are piloting our program in RISE Court - a collaborative court of the Santa Clara County Superior Court - to see if our intervention can improve school attendance for youth who are truant.
STRATEGIC
PRIORITY 3 advocate for all
Advocate for a responsive, equitable service system for all child welfare involved families, children, and youth in our county.
Develop Agencywide DEI Plan
Develop a plan Plan developed
GRADE A
We developed a comprehensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan that meets National CASA Standards and that will inform all agency principles, practices, and operations. Implementation is underway.
Develop Agencywide Lived Experience Plan
Develop a plan Plan developed
GRADE A
Instinctually centering youth voice is paramount to all that we do. Moving forward it will also be formalized to ensure the lived experience of the children and families we serve influences all that we do.
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