At National CASA and throughout CASA's local programs, we believe the plight of children in foster care and the family court system is one of the biggest human rights questions in our country. To strengthen our national movement and meet our goal of providing a CASA volunteer for every abused and neglected child, in 2011 we launched the I am for the child™ campaign.
The campaign—a massive print, web and social media effort that communicates the relevance of the CASA mission to everyone, not just to people directly touched by the foster care system—is built on five fundamental pledges. We pledge to work:
- Until every court in the United States recognizes a CASA volunteer as essential for a successful outcome for children
- Until our volunteer base reflects the diversity and cultural makeup of children in the system
- Until every potential supporter understands the importance of our mission
- Until every legislator and governmental official places our work at the top of his agenda
- And until every child can thrive in the embrace of a loving family
I am for the child has already generated millions of impressions as it celebrates core values and attributes that everyone can appreciate— hope, compassion, equality and empowerment. When campaign materials—including ad art, radio and TV public service announcements, and a gallery of compelling photos—were made available in August 2011, hundreds of CASA programs across the country placed their orders for customized artwork and began incorporating it into their own promotional and fundraising materials.
As use of the materials and messages increases, our national movement of people will grow into a critical mass of support, until every waiting foster child has a CASA volunteer standing by their side.
Declare that you are for the child! Go to iamforthechild.org and add your voice.