Callie Jackson – Court Appointed Special Advocates

The place I volunteer with regularly is CASA! I first got involved with CASA when I was in college, because they were they were the nationally recognized philanthropy of my sorority. I learned about their mission to advocate for each child in the foster care system, to build relationships with them, and to fight for their best interest in the court system. Once I graduated and became established, I went through the 8 weeks of training and was sworn in to the Tulsa CASA program. In 2022 I took on my first CASA case and was able to work with a wonderful family for over two years. It has been some of the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. Every case is different, but essentially, CASAs can be the eyes and ears for children in foster care. They meet with teachers, parents, coaches, friends, etc. They make sure the kiddos have had all their doctor’s appointments and any other assistance they may need. Then they follow up with the parents and foster parents to see what needs to happen in the long-term for the children to be raised in a happy, healthy home. Then, the CASA writes a legal report advocating for the children. I had the privilege of writing several of these reports and articulating them to the Tulsa juvenile justices.