A Story of Hope: Advocate Karney Stefan
A Story of Hope, from Advocate Karney Stefan
Although Karney Stefan officially became a CASA Advocate in February of this year, her journey toward advocacy began many years earlier. While serving as the Executive Director of a foster care agency in Southern California for three and a half years, she witnessed firsthand the profound difference a dedicated advocate could make in a child's life. Children who had someone consistently standing beside them often experienced better outcomes, stronger support, and a greater sense of stability. When she retired and relocated to San Antonio, she knew it was finally time to answer the calling that had been growing in her heart for years.
Today, Karney serves a sibling group of four brothers, ranging in age from infancy to nine years old, who are placed in two different foster homes. Like many children entering foster care, the boys—and even their foster parents—were understandably hesitant when they first met her. They had encountered many professionals throughout their journey, and trust did not come easily. Yet through consistency, compassion, and genuine care, those barriers slowly faded. Now, her visits have become something everyone looks forward to, proving that trust is built one relationship at a time.
One moment reaffirmed why she chose to become an advocate.
During a visit with the two younger brothers, ages two and a half and four, the boys were laughing, running, and overflowing with energy. Their foster mother became flustered and apologized repeatedly for what she believed was poor behavior. Instead of seeing chaos, the advocate saw something beautiful.
She gently told the foster mother, "What I'm seeing isn't bad behavior. I'm seeing two little boys who finally feel safe enough to simply be children. They're being silly because they know they're safe here."
The foster mother immediately became emotional. As a first-time foster parent hoping to adopt the boys, she had been placing tremendous pressure on herself to be perfect. In that simple conversation, she received something she desperately needed: reassurance that she was already making a difference. Sometimes the greatest gift an advocate can offer isn't advice, it's helping someone recognize the hope they are already creating.
Another source of inspiration was the oldest brother, a nine-year-old who entered foster care without ever having attended school. When he first arrived, he could not identify a single letter of the alphabet. With the unwavering support of his foster parents and teachers, remarkable progress followed. Just six months later, he is reading.
While he still has much to learn, every page he reads represents more than academic achievement. It represents confidence, opportunity, and the promise of a brighter future. Together, they have created a meaningful tradition. At each visit, she brings him a new book, and they sit together as he proudly reads the first few pages aloud. Those quiet moments serve as powerful reminders that healing often happens in small, consistent steps—and that hope can be found in every word a child learns to read.
For Karney, advocacy is about much more than attending meetings or making recommendations. It is about becoming a steady presence in the lives of children who have experienced uncertainty. It is about encouraging foster parents who are navigating an incredibly challenging journey and reminding them that their love and commitment are changing lives.
For this Advocate, every visit, every smile, every milestone, and every story read aloud is a reminder that hope is alive—and that one caring adult truly can change the course of a child's future.
