Harvey E. Najim Donates $1M towards CASA's Capital Campaign
With an 18% rise in cases of child abuse and neglect in Bexar County, Harvey E. Najim Commits $1,000,000 to Child Advocates San Antonio - Largest Gift in CASA’s History
San Antonio, TX--March 29, 2021 –As child abuse and neglect numbers rose 18% in 2020 compared to 2019 in Bexar County, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) is excited to announce that CASA has received a commitment for its largest ever single financial gift. Mr. Harvey E. Najim, whose name is synonymous with generous philanthropic giving and his heart for children, has committed a $1 million gift toward the purchase of CASA’s new headquarters located at 1956 S. WW White Road, on the far East side. The new building will be named after Mr. Najim. The announcement comes in conjunction with the start of April's National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to bring awareness to our community’s concerning statistics.
“Mr. Najim truly cares about the children in our community. Harvey’s reputation, as a deeply compassionate man who seriously wants to improve the lives of children, meant that the Najim name was the one we wanted for the CASA home. Mr. Najim has supported CASA operationally for many years. The Board and team are simply delighted that he has chosen to partner with us in this endeavor. The building ensures we have room to grow, and ultimately give all children in Bexar County foster care the opportunity to have a dedicated and caring Advocate to amplify their voices and walk beside them,” said Angela White, President and CEO of CASA. “This gift is transformational for CASA. I personally know how important it is for a child to have someone who listens and believes in them, as our CASA Advocates do. It can change their lives forever. Mr. Najim’s support puts us another huge stride down the path to achieving the goal of serving all the children who need us. We cannot thank him enough.”
Founded in 1984, CASA works to recruit, train, and support volunteer Advocates for children in foster care who have experienced abuse and neglect. Last year 5,499 children in Bexar County were removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. At the Courts request, nearly 2,000 of those traumatized and lonely children were connected with a Volunteer Advocate, recruited, trained, and supported by CASA.
As CASA served more children, the organization had completely outgrown their previous San Pedro location. Formally a Holt Texas LLC training building, is now the new 22,382 square foot CASA headquarters. Holt Texas LLC has made the transition possible with a reduction in the building price, gifting furniture and technology, and a generous lease-to-purchase partnership. CASA moved into the office in September 2019.
"As a longtime supporter of CASA, their new headquarter building will accommodate the growth and expansion of CASA to meet the needs of 100% of the children in foster care in our community. CASA ensures each foster child has an advocate to be a mentor and amplify their voices in the court system. I am proud to support this wonderful agency" said Harvey E. Najim, President of the Najim Charitable Foundation.
The increased space includes enough office and training space to accommodate future growth. The building and grounds provide space for Volunteer Advocates to bring their CASA kids and spend time with them in a safe and secure environment. A library and dedicated indoor spaces for art programs are being created. The space will also allow for community events and for wider and continued collaboration with other local child welfare and community agencies. To finalize the procurement of the building to be able to serve more children, CASA has $420,000 left to raise.
CASA’s goal is to serve every foster child in Bexar County, to stand for them, amplify their voices, and walk beside them through a traumatic and lonely time. If you are interested in supporting vulnerable children and helping CASA finish our Campaign, please contact President & CEO Angela White at awhite@casa-satx.org or VP of Development Blair Ortmann at bortmann@casa-satx.org.
About Child Advocates San Antonio
The mission of Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) is to recruit, train, and supervise court-appointed volunteer Advocates who provide constancy for abused and neglected children and youth while advocating for services and placement in safe and permanent homes. In FY2020, 751 CASA volunteers advocated on behalf of 1,883 children in foster care.
Link to Photos of CASA's New Building
In December 2024, CPS received a referral reporting that Demitri and Maria were living under a bridge along with their three children, Santiago, Mary, and Jose. The Department sought removal of the siblings due to numerous concerns including substance use by all members of the family unit, unsanitary living conditions, malnourishment, and other safety risks. It was later discovered that the children had a significant gap in their education and medical care, and that the two oldest children had juvenile justice involvement. The parents also had an extensive history with CPS. A few months after removal, CASA Advocates, Alejandro Trevino and Lauren Wise, were appointed to the case, quickly becoming a consistent and trusted presence in the lives of the Santiago (16), Mary (15), and Jose (13). During their first meeting, the siblings expressed a deep desire to stay together and eventually reunite with their parents, emphasizing that they had always been together as a family. Unfortunately, shortly after that initial encounter, Santiago and Mary were placed in a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) located hours away from Jose. Multiple placement changes followed, creating ongoing instability that further complicated their healing process. From the beginning, the CASA Advocates have worked tirelessly to ensure that the children’s services remain uninterrupted despite the frequent transitions. They continue to collaborate with CPS, the children’s attorney ad litem, and various placements to ensure the siblings’ voices are heard and their best interests prioritized. Alejandro and Lauren attend every staffing, court hearing, service plan meeting, and Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE) meeting while always advocating for stability, connection, and permanency. Understanding the critical importance of sibling relationships, the advocates made it their mission to preserve the children’s bond. They arranged for regular sibling contact, both virtually and in-person, overcoming logistical challenges caused by distance and restrictive placement protocols. At one point, Alejandro and Lauren personally facilitated a sibling visit, traveling a total of 638 miles to ensure the children could spend the time together. It was a powerful act of care, giving the siblings a moment of normalcy and joy in an otherwise turbulent time. For nearly the entirety of the case, the children have been separated from one another and far from their hometown. In the face of prolonged separation, instability, and emotional distress, Alejandro and Lauren’s efforts have played a key role in preserving the siblings’ emotional connection and sense of family. Because of their unwavering commitment, the siblings are now living in the same city again and are showing improvement in their academics and health. While the future remains uncertain and family reunification is still unclear, the advocates continue to hold hope that the siblings can at least be reunited with one another and return to San Antonio. This story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of tremendous challenges, the love between siblings and the dedication of caring advocates can foster hope, healing, and the promise of a brighter future.
Deborah Hom
