CASA Volunteer Creates Handmade Toys
A Little Piece of Happy
About seven years ago, Faultersack, 72, became a volunteer with Child Advocates San Antonio, or CASA. The group pairs court-appointed, trained volunteers with children in the state’s foster care system. The adults make sure the children’s medical, legal and economic needs are met and provide a consistent and caring presence in their lives. They also take them to fun activities.
Faultersack decided to take his volunteer work a step further. He makes 35 or more wooden toys a year that are given to CASA kids at Christmas.
“My toys are just a little piece of happy,” he said. -Express News
Mr. Faultersack has been an Advocate for seven years now and has been making toys for our CASA children for five years. He creates his toys in a small shed in his backyard and has impacted the lives of dozens of foster children through his dedication. Thank you, John, for your hard work for, and compassion towards, Bexar County's foster children. We are all grateful for your example.
At CASA, our goal is to serve 100% of the children and families in need experiencing foster care and strong community partnerships help make that possible.
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.
