Advocate Impact: Greg Bowman
June Story of Hope
Written By: Cristal Olivera, Greg's Advocate Supervisor
When it was time for him to be discharged, she stated that she could no longer handle his behavior and wanted CPS to take custody.
Greg Bowman has been an Advocate with CASA since July of 2018 and Jason’s case is the first he has been assigned to. When I first met Greg, I noticed immediately his easy-going personality and his great sense of humor. It was obvious that he was going to be a valuable addition to CASA. I showed Jason’s case to Greg and he chose it without hesitation, realizing right away that this is a child that needed to have someone on his side. The first thing Greg did was set up a home visit to meet Jason and within a week, he had visited Jason twice in the foster home and also took him out to San Antonio Threads so that Jason could pick out some new clothes. Greg reached out to all of the parties involved, including Jason’s adoptive mother who made it very clear that she no longer wanted to be involved with Jason and that her intention was to relinquish her rights. Although Jason was not made aware of this right away, he was showing signs that he was upset and confused, wondering why he was not having visits or hearing from his mom. When his mom relinquished her rights at the 60 day status hearing, Greg was very concerned about Jason and how this would impact him. He was involved in discussions with the therapist and caseworker to determine the best way to break the news to Jason.
Once his mom relinquished her rights, Greg knew that it was imperative for Jason to maintain contact with the only other family that he had, his sister. Greg reached out to Jason’s sister’s CPS caseworker to inquire about sibling visits. His sister had previously been removed from the same adoptive home and was placed at a residential treatment center in Houston. In January of this year, Greg took Jason to Houston so that he could have a visit with his sister at the zoo. When Greg found out that Jason was very behind in reading, he advocated in his court report for Jason to get a tutor and Judge Garcia agreed this was important and recommended that the CPS caseworker request tutoring through the PMC court liaison. Greg was persistent in following up with the caseworker and PMC court liaison to ensure that the tutoring service began and continued. Greg recently met with the school to review Jason’s academic progress and Jason’s reading level has significantly improved since the beginning of the year, thanks to the tutoring and Greg who strongly advocated for it. Greg wanted to get Jason involved in an extra-curricular activity, knowing that it would be a good way to relieve stress and also improve his self-esteem. Greg was able to connect Jason with a YMCA basketball league and then helped out the foster parents by taking Jason weekly to most of his practices and games.
When Greg found out that Jason was very behind in reading, he advocated in his court report for Jason to get a tutor and Judge Garcia agreed this was important...
One of the most vital duties of our Advocates is to help find permanency. Jason is currently in a foster home, but because they are not interested in adoption, the search for his next forever family continues. As soon as the legal case was transferred to the adoption unit, Greg began asking about when Jason would be put on Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) and reminded the caseworker about it until it was done. Jason was fortunate enough to be chosen to be featured in KSAT’s “Hope for A Home” segment which was aired in April. (This can be viewed at https://www.ksat.com/news/hope-for-a-home-meet-jason ) Greg helped with this process, coordinating with other agencies involved and taking Jason to the preliminary meetings. Greg also accompanied Jason when he had the opportunity to tour the Ken5 news station and meet some of the news anchors.
Greg has been a constant support for Jason in these past nine months and he has demonstrated that Jason can count on him for anything he needs. Although the road to finding permanency for Jason may be long, he is very fortunate to have Greg by his side, always believing in him and reminding him to never give up hope.
Emily Benedict: Championing College Dreams for Youth in Care Emily Benedict has always believed deeply in the power of higher education and has a passion for making college access a reality—especially for youth in foster care. When she expressed interest in taking on a second CASA case, she was clear about her goal: she wanted to work with a youth on the college docket, helping them navigate the complex path toward applying to and enrolling in college. In August of last year, Emily was matched with a 16-year-old youth living at Connections in New Braunfels. The teen had spent several years in care, with her parents’ rights terminated and a previous kinship placement having broken down. Though she had two siblings, she was no longer in contact with them. From their first meeting, a strong connection grew between Emily and her youth—especially during a Clifton Strengths event hosted at CASA. As the school year kicked off, Emily quickly stepped in to advocate for her youth’s education. She connected with school counselors, began tracking her youth’s grades and attendance, and stepped up when she learned the teen was failing two classes due to a lack of access to technology. Emily secured a Chromebook and printer through CASA, ensuring her youth had the tools to succeed. With weekly check-ins, academic encouragement, and consistent support, her youth turned things around—eventually getting back on track to graduate a year early . Knowing college was the goal, Emily helped prepare her youth for the journey ahead. She shared opportunities for SAT prep, researched application deadlines, supported her through the FAFSA process, and made sure every college application was submitted on time. She also enrolled her in the PAL program, arranged campus tours, and even ensured she had the required immunizations for enrollment. Emily didn’t stop there—she helped her youth open a bank account and advocated tirelessly with the caseworker to get her into a driver’s ed program. Throughout the year, Emily also supported her youth emotionally. She helped her process complex feelings about being separated from her siblings and successfully facilitated a visit—opening the door to renewed phone and virtual contact. Just weeks before graduation, the youth’s placement at her residential facility fell through, and she began couch-surfing with friends. Emily didn’t miss a beat. She stayed in close contact with the youth’s support team—including her caseworker, attorney, and college docket facilitators—keeping everyone updated and focused on solutions. She explored housing options, called multiple facilities, and even reached out to colleges to see if the teen could move into a dorm early. Though dorms were restricted to 18+, Emily remained determined. She arranged a meeting between the teen and Judge Montemayor, who encouraged her to finish her final week of school and graduate—assuring her of continued support while placement was pending. Soon after, Emily discovered Lifeworks in Austin, a program offering housing, counseling, education, and workforce support. She helped secure a spot, drove her youth around town to collect belongings, and personally transported her on move-in day—returning the next day to check in. Emily proudly attended the teen’s graduation at the end of May. She is now helping her enroll in an online course for the fall semester, giving her a head start on college before she turns 18 in November and transitions into a Supervised Independent Living (SIL) dorm. Through every setback and success, Emily has remained a steady, empowering force—amplifying her youth’s voice, championing her goals, and proving the life-changing impact of one dedicated CASA volunteer.
Sherri Lee Boos
