Hard labor? Lifting or carrying items? Every call for volunteers is unique, and every volunteer task is a bit different from others, but when CASA puts out the call for volunteers, the local and national nonprofit organization is on the hunt for individuals who can document, write short reports, and make phone calls. CASA, an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocates “recruits, trains and supports effective volunteer advocates as they represent the best interest of abused and neglected children in the court system.” Short reports and phone calls are all it takes to make a world of difference in the life of an Eddy County child as one CASA volunteer discovered.

In 2019, a CASA volunteer in Carlsbad began advocating a case with a pair of siblings: a boy and a girl. Every month she performed her volunteer work by calling the sister and the brother to get an update about how they were doing in foster care. She learned their likes and dislikes by visiting with them and taking notes. She would then write up a short report about her visit with the children. Her report was added to their case file with CYFD and CASA. Over time, the reports added up. She attended court hearings and followed up with CYFD regarding paperwork by phone.

Even when she relocated to El Paso and the pandemic effectively pushed citizens of the State of New Mexico into isolation, she persevered on her case with Eddy County CASA. She learned how to host virtual meetings via Zoom. She continued to advocate despite the distance between herself and the children in her court appointed case.

In a word, her commitment to her volunteer work was an act of devotion. She knew everything about the children and because of her work advocating, she became instrumental in their adoption. The case closed with the successful adoption of the siblings on June 3, 2022, three years after she began her volunteer position. The adoption is a celebration of the human spirit to triumph in the face of many obstacles. Volunteers DO make a difference in the world and there are unique opportunities to volunteer with Eddy County CASA.