CASA of Kent County

10/16/2026

Congratulations to our newest group of court appointed special advocates! 🎉

These volunteers have completed all of the required training and are now ready to begin their journey of advocating for abused and neglected children. We're so grateful for the dedication they've already demonstrated and look forward to seeing all of the ways they make a difference in the lives of children and families.

And a special thank you to Judge DeLange for officially swearing them in!

Congratulations everyone!

10/15/2026

Congratulations to the Honorable Judge Deborah McNabb on being selected as a 2026 Angels in Adoption honoree! Thank you for all you do to support children and families in the child welfare system.

Congratulations to our 17th Circuit Court Chief Judge Deborah McNabb, who was selected as a 2026 Angels in Adoption honoree by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute through Senator Gary Peters! This national recognition honors her more than 25 years of dedication to children and families involved in adoption, foster care and child welfare.

As the first woman to serve as Chief Judge of Kent County's 17th Circuit Court, Judge McNabb has presided over thousands of family and child welfare cases, with a focus on timely permanency and minimizing trauma for children. Her leadership has helped strengthen family-centered approaches across Kent County, including the “One Family, One Judge” model and juvenile justice reforms.

In September, Judge McNabb traveled to Capitol Hill to participate in the Angels in Adoption Leadership Program. Please join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved recognition and thanking her for her continued commitment to helping children and families thrive.

Pictured from left: Chief Judge Deborah McNabb and Peter Dickow, West Michigan Director for U.S. Senator Gary Peters.

10/14/2026

There's still time to secure your spot in our November training class‼️

If you're interested in training to become a court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer, there are a few days left to apply and join our final class of 2026! Reach out to Vivian Gaskin at [email protected] for assistance with next steps.

We're so excited to welcome another group of advocates this fall!

10/13/2026

CASA board members ended the fiscal year with a retreat that included lunch with staff and a panel discussion with several child welfare experts.

Board members took time to reflect on the achievements of the last fiscal year and envision all of the ways CASA will grow in the year ahead. We're grateful for the dedicated leadership and thoughtfulness that each board member brings to our mission. We look forward to another year of collaboration and creativity!

10/12/2026

Please join us in welcome new volunteer Tara! 👋

Tara decided to volunteer so she can be a voice for the voiceless. In training, she learned that there are so many resources available that she hadn’t thought of! As Tara thinks about being matched to a child or sibling group, she’s hopeful that she can help them build a pathway to a better life. Her favorite fictional character as a child was Felicia Jones from General Hospital.

Welcome to CASA, Tara!

10/09/2026

"We're all just walking each other home." - Ram Dass 👣💛

That's a wrap on Heart of CASA 2026! This year's event brought together nearly 200 community members to explore the theme "Walk with Me." Throughout the event, guests followed the stories of Anna and Daniel, children who benefitted from the advocacy of a CASA volunteer walking alongside them.

We're grateful to each and every community member who supported the children we serve through this event! We're excited to share more results and photos soon, but for now, we want to say THANK YOU!

10/08/2026

In case you missed it!

Executive Director Stephanie Sheler joined WGVU for an interview last week! You can check it out at https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2026-10-02/bridging-the-gap-casa-seeks-volunteers-to-stand-up-for-kent-county-foster-children

10/07/2026

Last week, several CASA staff members joined Osofomaame for their "We Are the Village" Gala.

We learned from child welfare advocates and leaders about inequities in the foster care system and community centered solutions we can all be a part of. We're grateful for the opportunity to learn from Osofomaame about their impactful work in the community. It truly "takes a village" to uplift the voices of all children in foster care.

Thank you for having us!

10/06/2026

This year's Heart of CASA theme is "Walk With Me," and East Grand Rapids Middle School students have been hard at work creating clay shoe centerpieces for the event!

For the third year in a row, we partnered with art teacher Holly Lampen and her students to create our centerpieces. We're so excited to see the final pieces on Thursday evening!

10/05/2026

Hey, CASA community!👋

We'll be at Orchard House Books and Cafe next Tuesday from 4:30-6pm! Stop by, grab a drink, and chat with us about volunteering as a court appointed special advocate.

You can let us know you're coming by signing up at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/cokc/event/volunteerinterestmixer-10132026/
Drop-ins are also welcome. We can't wait to see you there! 📖☕