August Advocate Spotlight

Phil Howard

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

I have been an Advocate for about one year. I was looking for something rewarding to do to help fill my time. I asked God to guide me to something where I might possibly be able to make a difference in other people’s lives. Shortly thereafter, I was leaving HEB and saw a CASA banner above the street intersection. I called the CASA office and the rest is history.


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

There are several rewarding and challenging aspects to being an Advocate. In the case I am involved in, two of the children were initially placed in a shelter and one was placed in a foster home.  They were eventually all placed with a family member, but this ended up not being a safe and healthy environment.  Throughout this time I made extra efforts to have consistent contacts with the doctors, dentists, school teachers and counselors involved to ensure they were getting proper care.  They were able to be placed with another family member and this appears to be a safe and permanent home for them.  But overall for me and probably the most rewarding part has been to see the children overcome so many challenges they have been faced with and know that I have been a part in helping them move forward in life and hopefully have a much brighter future. 


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

For anyone considering being an Advocate or are a new Advocate, my experience is it has changed my life in a very positive way. Going through the training can be a little overwhelming. However, once you are involved in a case, with effort and guidance from your CASA supervisor, you quickly grasp what needs to be done to effectively help your children and others involved in the case. Being an Advocate is a challenge, but one well worth your time.

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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