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.

A Message from Child Advocates San Antonio on National CASA/GAL Funding Termination

By bfines • April 25, 2025
A Message from Child Advocates San Antonio on National CASA/GAL Funding Termination On April 24, 2025, the National CASA/GAL Association announced that its federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice has been terminated. As a result, National CASA is suspending subaward disbursements, training programs, and technical assistance. The organization is actively appealing the decision and assessing what services it can continue to provide during this transition. Info from National CASA can be found here. We understand that this announcement may raise concerns in the community, and we want to provide reassurance and clarity regarding how this news affects Child Advocates San Antonio. First and foremost: There is no impact to our organization or our services. We are fully operational and remain committed to serving the children and families in our community with the same excellence, integrity, compassion, and commitment we have always shown. Here are key facts we want our supporters and the public to know: Our funding remains secure. Child Advocates San Antonio has a diverse and stable funding base that includes a healthy mix of public and private funding. No one funding stream exceeds 50% of our budget. You can access our recent financials HERE. Our stability comes from strong state support and our dedicated Bexar County community, which keeps Child Advocates San Antonio resilient and focused on serving children. We do not receive subawards from National CASA. The suspension of subaward disbursements has no bearing on our funding or ability to operate. Our training programs continue without interruption. Our comprehensive and high-quality Advocate training programs are fully intact. We do not require technical assistance from National CASA. Our team is experienced, well-resourced, and prepared to continue all programming. No cuts, no hiring freezes, no changes to our operations. We remain fully staffed and actively engaged in our mission to advocate for children in foster care. Our commitment to advocating for children in foster care is unwavering, and our services continue as usual. We want to be clear: Child Advocates San Antonio is strong, stable, and here to stay. CASA programs in Texas are strong, independent, and fully committed to children in foster care. While we’re aware of the situation with National CASA/GAL, it doesn’t impact the critical advocacy happening here. Our commitment is clear: we will stand with the children we serve—until they are safe, their voices are heard, and their futures are secure. Our focus, as always, is on advocating for the best interests of children and ensuring they have a voice in court. Public support at all levels, including individuals, ensures we remain strong, regardless of national developments. No matter what, our mission stays the same – every child deserves to be safe, cared for, and have their voice heard. CASA’s mission is as important as ever— children in foster care need advocates who will stand by them. Start your Advocate Journey today!

April Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • April 11, 2025
Brittany Coppage
Show More