February Inspirations
CASA Couple Advocates
Advocate Together
Perspectives from CASA Couple Advocates
February is a month filled with love! Dates we will go on, cards we will send, gifts we will shower our loved with!
But an often-overlooked activity that is rewarding and couples can do together: Volunteering. In particular Volunteering with CASA. (Click here for next information session)
Volunteering as an individual CASA Advocate is amazing! Couples who share this experience are rewarded in so many ways! CASA Advocate Volunteers provide hope for children who have been placed in foster care due to child abuse and/or neglect. CASA couples provide not only an extra advocate on a case, but the ability for the child to see two adults working well together, for their best interest. Some of our CASA kids long for the acceptance of an adult in their life, and our couples give them two! CASA currently has 33 couples advocating for these children. 33 couples who split the responsibilities on their case or perhaps support each other while taking on their own case, giving them the ability to double the number of kids they serve. Together they have been able to serve a total of 202 kids since their tenure at CASA.Several of our CASA Advocates couples wanted to share their experiences with you!
Pedro & Laura Hero have with CASA for a little over 5 years. “We can't imagine how difficult it would have been not to be able to share the journey with one another during this pandemic,”
Hero states. Pedro and his wife Laura Hero.
"There is no better way to feel more connected to your spouse than volunteering and providing hope for a child in foster care, together as a team. “We were surprised and filled with joy by the positive feelings and connections that comes from helping children find permanency in a loving and safe home. It is immeasurable. When something positive happens with one of our CASA kids, we both celebrate.”
Chris & Chet Malin have been CASA Advocates for over 2 years.
“We were able to provide both male and female oversight and interaction to the three boys and one girl (ages 7-9). This promoted safety and a higher level of control when attending SeaWorld, the movies, or gender specific events like the Auto-show, a Missions game, or a performance of the ballet “Cinderella. Being on the same case has improved our ability to communicate and compromise (when necessary) to achieve a common goal. We figured out early in the case which of us was best qualified to tackle specific tasks and thus avoid duplicated effort.”
Andrica and Rogers Dickerson have been CASA Advocates for about 3 years. Their favorite part about advocating together is that it “gives us quality time where we can bring happiness and joy to others. We are not discussing work or personal issues, but how we can provide our CASA kids' best service. Advocating as a couple has strengthened our relationship because we see our partner's care and compassion for others. Selflessness, acting without profit or benefit, helps us connect with others, and this feeling carries over to our relationship. The pandemic is emotionally and physically a trying time. We are not connecting with our CASA kids the traditional face-to-face way but virtually through video calls, more text messages and the occasional porch drop-offs. Most importantly we are doing it together.”
We thank all the couples at CASA who help make a difference every day. If you or your spouse/partner are interested in advocating together or maybe you are an advocate who has been trying to convince their spouse/partner, feel free to reach out to our Recruitment and Training department. With two, it is easier to navigate the complexities, the unfamiliar, and the situations where both advocates are out of their comfort zones.
CASA wishes each of our advocates and community a Happy Valentine’s Day and remember, “two sets of eyes and hands are better than one.”
Harrison came into care in January 2021 due to abuse and neglect in the home. The department attempted to implement a few safety plans but to no avail. Ultimately, the parents were unable and unwilling to provide him with a safe and stable home environment, and Harrison was placed into foster care. In June 2025, Staff Advocate, Michelle, was assigned to the case, and he was living with his aunt in Laredo, TX. From day one, Michelle has been dedicated to getting to know Harrison, establishing rapport, and building trust. She would take the time to listen to him and get to know his likes and interests. When she first met him, he was timid and shy but as he gained confidence and became more comfortable, he started to open up to Michelle. He started advocating for himself, asking for a new charger for his laptop to do his schoolwork and started to disclose more important topics such as sensitive issues he was facing with his family. In October 2025, while Michelle was heading to Laredo to visit Harrison, he called her to let her know that he was no longer allowed back into his aunt’s home. There was a placement breakdown happening due to a verbal/physical altercation with his aunt and other family members, and his aunt gave notice to the department that day. Upon arrival at Laredo, Michelle immediately called Harrison’s case worker and attorney to let them know what had just transpired. Due to Harrison being 18 and not officially in extended care, Michelle was met with some pushbacks; however, she persevered and asked what his options were, if any, and how we could help him. Harrison’s team worked together and was able to get the extended care paperwork drafted and completed and Michelle was able to brainstorm with Harrison to find him a temporary home with a close friend until his caseworker could bring him back to San Antonio. Michelle took Harrison to his aunt’s so he could pack his belongings and stay with his friend temporarily. Michelle was so thankful that she could be there for him in his time of need. A few days later, Harrison was back in San Antonio. Harrison is currently thriving in his Supervised Independent Living (SIL) placement and is on track to graduate high school in May. He has plans to attend college for Cosmetology. He has had a tremendous change in his overall mood and is coming into his own as a confident young adult. When asked by Michelle how he feels being at his current placement, his response was “safe” and that’s all Michelle needed to hear to know she was making a positive impact.
Jennifer Lassahn
