Story of Hope: Simeon & Laura Sutton
December Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Simeon & Laura's Advocate Supervisor
Adrian (6) and Evanie (1) were removed from their home due to abuse and neglect. Adrian made an outcry of being slapped by his mother’s boyfriend, but his mother refused to believe it was her boyfriend who cause the mark on his cheek. After an investigation, the Department agreed to refer this case to Family Based Safety Services, who offered the mother services, but she refused to cooperate. As a result, the case was referred to the courts, and both Adrian and Evanie were removed and placed in foster care.
Mr. and Mrs. Sutton signed up to Advocate for Adrian and Evanie February 2019. They immediately visited the children and reached out to anyone who was currently involved on their case. When they found out that Adrian had had a kindergarten graduation that no one attended, Simeon drove to the school with a big balloon and told him how sorry they were that they didn’t know about his graduation. He just looked at Simeon with a big smile and said, “but YOU CAME!”
He just looked at Simeon with a big smile and said, “but YOU CAME!”
When the kids were moved to a shelter, their third placement in 7 months, Simeon and Laura were there to transport them. When Adrian started whimpering in fear, they held him and comforted him. Simeon and Laura advocated for Adrian and Evanie to be in the same room while in the shelter, and stayed until they were calm and settled. While the children were at the shelter, Simeon and Laura visited them in person or by phone every day to ensure their needs were being met.
Not long after the move to the shelter, Simeon and Laura saw a big decline in Adrian’s demeanor and behavior. When the shelter requested the children be moved, they quickly looked into options for the kids. They knew the kids couldn’t emotionally handle another move to a shelter, and advocated for them to live with grandma instead through an expedited home study. Simeon and Laura were able to help the grandmother prepare so the kids could stay with her as a more permanent placement with a goal of reunification. Now, the kids are thriving with grandma and happy to be with family.
Without Simeon and Laura’s commitment to find family for Adrian and Evanie, the children would have struggled to find permanency and their mother’s rights might have been terminated completely. Thanks to Simeon and Laura, these kids are with family and have achieved permanency.
Help us provide more Advocates like Simeon & Laura who are willing to go above and beyond to provide a voice for children in foster care.
Fund a Hope
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!
Brittany Coppage
