May Advocate Spotlight

Anna Perhach

Advocate: Joseph Zlotkowski

1. How long have you been an Advocate and when did you realize you wanted to become one? 


I've been an advocate since October. I've wanted to be one since I was 18. And you can't be an advocate until you're 21, so I had to wait a couple of years. Helping kids is my favorite way to volunteer.


2. What is the most rewarding aspect of being an Advocate? 


I enjoy going out and doing fun things with the kids. Being a ward of the state can be traumatic, but I hope that they come out of this with some good memories of this part of their life. 90% of the activities that I do with them, they say it's their first time ever. We've gone to museums including the Witte and Doseum, the aquarium, the zoo, frozen yogurt, Enchanted Rock, the Alamo and the Riverwalk, the movies, walking at parks, to CASA events, etc.


For me personally, I'm going to be a doctor, and I think this has made me a lot more comfortable calling CPS for families in the future. CPS tries really hard to work with families. Everything that CPS requires is free for families, whether it's counseling, or classes, or substance use treatment, or helping families get childcare. They do their best for the safety of kids and for helping parents recover from whatever their challenge is. 

 

There is a whole squad of adults supporting these kids. Their ARD educational meetings were packed with me, CPS, their kinship placement, and a parent. The kids aren't going to fall through the cracks. They're supported not ignored. That's in part what CASA is for. 



3. If you could offer some words of encouragement to your fellow and incoming Advocates, what would they be?


  1. Your supervisor can be a great resource for getting help and supplies. My supervisor helped me get beds and car seats for the kids. 
  2. Build a relationship with the parents to be a better bridge between them and resources and to have a better understanding of the progress that they believe they've made. It's a work in progress. 
  3. Show up to everything you can. 
  4. The aquarium (for kids in foster care) and the Alamo are free. The museums are free some days a month. Frozen yogurt sold by weight and dispensed by small kids is expensive. Keep water and snacks on hand always.

Story of Hope: Staff Advocate JoAnn

By bfines • March 9, 2026
In March 2025, Child Protective Services removed four young children, just 7, 4, 2, and 3 months old, from their mother’s care. This difficult step followed ongoing concerns about neglect, largely connected to the mother’s struggle with substance use, even during her most recent pregnancy. Although CPS offered support through Family Based Safety Services, the mother was unable to engage in the help provided. The children’s father was also unable to support them due to his own substance abuse and his incarceration in Bexar County Jail. Before removal, the children’s basic medical and educational needs were going unmet. They had been moved repeatedly between their mother and other relatives, leaving them without the stability, routine, and nurturing supervision every child deserves.  When CASA Staff Advocate, JoAnn Herring, was assigned the case in April 2025, she immediately reached out to both kinship caregivers to understand the children’s needs and how to best support the families stepping in to care for them. JoAnn quickly learned that the paternal grandmother, who lovingly took in some of the children, was struggling financially and facing barriers due to limited English proficiency. To ensure she wasn’t facing these challenges alone, JoAnn submitted a CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) referral and personally provided translation support so the grandmother could access services with dignity and understanding. Throughout the case, JoAnn has witnessed moments where cultural sensitivity was lacking, and personal biases influenced important decisions; often at the expense of what was best for the children. Despite these obstacles, she continues to advocate steadfastly and compassionately for the children to remain with the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to provide safety, consistency, and love. Although the case is not yet over, Joann’s story demonstrates that CASA’s advocacy reaches beyond the children themselves, strengthening the village of care and support surrounding them, because CASA wants children to be safe, to thrive, and to have their overall well-being protected.

March Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • March 9, 2026
Johnathan Cobb
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