Story of Hope: Cynthia
July Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Cynthia's Advocate Supervisor
While Cynthia was serving in the military, she was introduced to CASA, and that initial encounter made a lasting impression on her. She was certain she would become a CASA advocate one day. So it was no surprise that earlier this year, on February 14, she was sworn-in as a CASA advocate and shortly after, was assigned to her first CASA case.
Cynthia immediately signed onto the case and introduced herself to all parties involved, and also participated in family group conferences. The two children, Bruce, 6 months old, and Dakota, 3 years old, were living in a shelter with their mother after having just been returned to her custody at their court hearing. Although, the mother had been permitted to have the children returned to her, the case remained open and the state still had temporary custody of the children.
When it came time to reach out to the mother and children, Cynthia obtained the proper clearance through the shelter where they were staying. At this time, the mother shared that she was unable to get baby formula, and that she was giving Bruce regular milk. Cynthia assisted the mother in making a WIC appointment and was diligent in her follow-up, calling and texting the mother to remind her of this appointment, but the mother did not keep the appointment.
Cynthia began to notice a pattern of missed appointments like this. The mother scheduled, then rescheduled, and then missed the children’s appointments, alongside many of the services outlined in her service plan. The mother kept expressing that she was too busy helping a friend, or that she forgot, or was too tired to attend her appointments. This was a red flag for Cynthia, so she expressed her concern to the CPS caseworker. She soon after followed up with the shelter, and found out that the mother was in violation of curfews, was not meeting with the shelter’s case manager, not attending required programs, and had not been informing the caseworker of the children’s whereabouts. Doing her due diligence, Cynthia voiced concerns that the placement may need to change.
In the midst of this new development, the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread, but that didn’t stop Cynthia from serving these children. She ordered educational toys through Amazon to help engage the children during quarantine, and continued to track the mother’s progress. The mother still wasn’t participating in services, and jeopardized the shelter placement by testing positive for drug use. Cynthia, again, voiced her concerns, this time to the caseworker and the children’s ad litem. An emergency hearing was held in April, wherein the kids were removed from their mother and placed with relatives. The kids are currently thriving in that placement.
During this time, Cynthia has continued to serve Bruce and Dakota with supplies through porch drop-offs, helped locate a much needed crib for Bruce, and often chatted by video with the children. She has been exemplary on this case, and is much appreciated for all her hard work.
Help us provide more Advocates like Cynthia who are willing to go above and beyond even in the midst of crisis to provide a voice for children in foster care.
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Emily Benedict: Championing College Dreams for Youth in Care Emily Benedict has always believed deeply in the power of higher education and has a passion for making college access a reality—especially for youth in foster care. When she expressed interest in taking on a second CASA case, she was clear about her goal: she wanted to work with a youth on the college docket, helping them navigate the complex path toward applying to and enrolling in college. In August of last year, Emily was matched with a 16-year-old youth living at Connections in New Braunfels. The teen had spent several years in care, with her parents’ rights terminated and a previous kinship placement having broken down. Though she had two siblings, she was no longer in contact with them. From their first meeting, a strong connection grew between Emily and her youth—especially during a Clifton Strengths event hosted at CASA. As the school year kicked off, Emily quickly stepped in to advocate for her youth’s education. She connected with school counselors, began tracking her youth’s grades and attendance, and stepped up when she learned the teen was failing two classes due to a lack of access to technology. Emily secured a Chromebook and printer through CASA, ensuring her youth had the tools to succeed. With weekly check-ins, academic encouragement, and consistent support, her youth turned things around—eventually getting back on track to graduate a year early . Knowing college was the goal, Emily helped prepare her youth for the journey ahead. She shared opportunities for SAT prep, researched application deadlines, supported her through the FAFSA process, and made sure every college application was submitted on time. She also enrolled her in the PAL program, arranged campus tours, and even ensured she had the required immunizations for enrollment. Emily didn’t stop there—she helped her youth open a bank account and advocated tirelessly with the caseworker to get her into a driver’s ed program. Throughout the year, Emily also supported her youth emotionally. She helped her process complex feelings about being separated from her siblings and successfully facilitated a visit—opening the door to renewed phone and virtual contact. Just weeks before graduation, the youth’s placement at her residential facility fell through, and she began couch-surfing with friends. Emily didn’t miss a beat. She stayed in close contact with the youth’s support team—including her caseworker, attorney, and college docket facilitators—keeping everyone updated and focused on solutions. She explored housing options, called multiple facilities, and even reached out to colleges to see if the teen could move into a dorm early. Though dorms were restricted to 18+, Emily remained determined. She arranged a meeting between the teen and Judge Montemayor, who encouraged her to finish her final week of school and graduate—assuring her of continued support while placement was pending. Soon after, Emily discovered Lifeworks in Austin, a program offering housing, counseling, education, and workforce support. She helped secure a spot, drove her youth around town to collect belongings, and personally transported her on move-in day—returning the next day to check in. Emily proudly attended the teen’s graduation at the end of May. She is now helping her enroll in an online course for the fall semester, giving her a head start on college before she turns 18 in November and transitions into a Supervised Independent Living (SIL) dorm. Through every setback and success, Emily has remained a steady, empowering force—amplifying her youth’s voice, championing her goals, and proving the life-changing impact of one dedicated CASA volunteer.
Sherri Lee Boos
