CASA of the Heartland is currently serving 158 kids and has helped a total of 590 since they’ve started. To raise awareness and honor the children they’ve helped in the past and present, the organization invites local supporters, including legislatures and Mayors, law enforcement, and other concerned citizens, to join them to place pinwheels in CASA’s yard every April, which happens to be National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each pinwheel represents the innocence of a child and the fun, possibilities, and hope they deserve. It’s a way to truly highlight the program’s work and honor and remember the children served while also raising awareness to prevent the need for such services in the future. Currently, Kentucky is again ranked as #1 in the country for child abuse and neglec t, and has maintained that rank for a couple of years. In Hardin County, we had the highest Family Court Petitions from 2016 -to 2019. The following year, the pandemic hit, and across the Commonwealth, cases were under-reported, which later resulted in a surge in cases from this past summer (2021) until now. The unfortunate reality is that our county needs help. The children in our community need volunteers to dedicate time and consistency to the CASA program. There are 106 children on the waitlist in Hardin County. That means 106 abused and neglec ted kids are not being helped during the most challenging times of their lives. The pandemic and economic challenges have affec ted many nonprofits, and the need for community support is as crucial as ever. CASA of the Heartland accepts donations year-round and offers donors the opportunity to support a child each month or for an entire year. No donation or contribution is too small. The children in our community are in desperate need of volunteers. CASA provides all the training volunteers need to set them up to succeed in their invaluable role as an advocate. The organization posts videos and information regularly to its Facebook page to continue raising awareness for its mission of advocating for abused and neglec ted children in Hardin County.
To learn more about volunteering or making a monetary donation, please visit www.casaheartland.org or call (270) 982-2274. 53