Mission Statement: CASA provides trained community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children who come to the attention of the court primarily as a result of abuse or neglect.

Last Year in Nashville, close to 3000 children were caught up in the court because they were abused, neglected or abandoned by those they loved and trusted the most.

These children find themselves in foster care or temporary situations, often bouncing from home to home to home. Juvenile Courts must make critical decisions about these vulnerable children's lives, often with a disturbing shortage of facts.

Shelter From the Storm. Fortunately, there is an organization that puts children first. It's called CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate.  Staffed almost entirely by non-paid volunteers, CASA can make a real difference in the lives of children at risk.

The Three Keys. CASA volunteers have three key responsibilities. Focusing on the child's best interests, every volunteer serves as a fact finder, an informed voice in court, and a watchdog.

1. The volunteer serves as a fact finder for the judge by thoroughly researching the background of the assigned case.
2. The volunteer speaks on behalf of the child in the courtroom.
3. The volunteer acts as a watchdog for the child during the life of the case.

They review documents and interview family members, neighbors, doctors, and school officials. They also express the child's needs and point of view. Thanks to training and experience, volunteers gain a thorough working knowledge of the court system and the roles of everyone involved.

The goal is to ensure that the child makes it to a safe, stable, permanent home instead of falling through the cracks of bureaucracy.

**IMPORTANT TAX MESSAGE REGARDING DONATIONS**

One way to support CASA is to make a charitable distribution 
from your IRA. A recent tax law change allows tax-free "gift" 
distributions.  Previously, if an individual wanted to take funds
from an IRA to give to a charity, he or she would be required
to first take distribution of the funds which were fully taxable
as ordinary income.  This could create quite a tax burden.  
The new law allows IRA owners age 70-1/2 or older to gift 
up to $100,000 directly to a charity in 2006 and 2007.

This project is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee