Story of Hope: Brenda Rodriguez

Brenda Rodriguez has found through a previous case that she has a lot of holistic support to offer young adults in College Docket. After completing her first College docket case, Brenda was requested by College Docket court staff to be assigned to Yari due to Brenda’s demonstration of Educational Advocacy and her strength of being a supportive person who is able to connect with our participants’ entire support network.


Upon assignment to her case, Brenda was aware that the children were frequently tardy or absent from school, setting them behind their peers. Yari was missing many days of school and subsequently was missing many assignments needed to graduate high school on time. Brenda maintained consistent contact with Yari for self-reports on progress and in order to encourage Yari to complete her work. Brenda also connected with Yari’s guidance counselor and teachers to create an education plan to graduate on time and double-check that all assignments were submitted. We were truly down to the wire, and Brenda’s ability to be supportive to the youth and school created an opportunity for Yari to not fall behind her peers.


During this chaotic time, Brenda was also able to push ahead with ordering Yari’s class ring, ordering graduation cap and gown, and scheduling senior portraits with the assistance of College Docket and PEARLS court. Rather than putting the cart before the horse, this further encouraged and solidified to the youth that graduation was possible!

We are happy to say that Yari has graduated from High School and has been accepted into Alamo Colleges to pursue a career in Cosmetology. With the college docket team, Brenda has been at the forefront to ensure Yari has her tuition benefits, supportive housing, and any items needed to furnish her future apartment through the THRU project. So, Yari is prepared for her transition to adulthood and higher education, Brenda has also made diligent efforts to ensure Yari is connected to therapy and community supports.


Brenda’s compassion and advocacy has directly impacted Yari’s current and future successes. Brenda’s compassionate understanding of the need for holistic approaches to higher education and advocacy has directly contributed to Yari’s High School graduation and future in college.

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
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