2015ANNUALREPORT

Dedicated to the ideal that every child deserves a safe and permanent home.

What is CASA?

Our Mission & Vision

Introducing the CASA Team

CASA Board Of Directors

Letter from the Executive Director

Donors List - Foundation, Service Groups and Business

Donors List - Individual

Donors List - In Kind

Donors List - Honorary and Memorial Gifts

Financial Report

Advocate Spotlight

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CASA Stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates.

CASAs volunteer on behalf of abused, neglected and/or delinquent children, in our community’s court system.

The objective of the CASA volunteer is to:1. Lift up the child’s voice in the court room,2. Provide necessary feedback to court players,3. Provide recommendations to the court

The National Challenge � A report of abuse & neglect is made every ten seconds. � Child abuse occurs at all socio-economic, ethnic, cultural, religious and education levels. � 4 children die every day as a result of child abuse � Victims are usually under the age of four.

WHAT IS CASA?

Making a Difference � CASA’s caseload - typically one � Focused & sustained attention � Consistent element in child’s life... � Better outcomes �More targeted services for child & family �Half as many “long term foster care” � 50% less likely to reenter foster system

Foster Youth: Outcomes � 50% become homeless within 18 months of emancipation.

�Only one in 10 attend college. � 70% of CA prison population from foster care. � 80% have significant mental health issues. � 65% of victims of sex trafficking (below 21). �One third of abused children become abusers.

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The Role of a CASA Volunteer

� Support the child throughout case proceedings � Establish a relationship with the child through regular visitation �Monitor the child’s case plan � Ensure the court orders are being carried out � Conduct independent investigations � Review official court records & report

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Take a stand;Make a difference;

Change a child’s life... FOREVER

Mission:A passionate and powerful voice – Child Advocates of El Dorado are trained, court appointed volunteers who advocate on behalf and at-risk youth. Together with our community’s involvement and generous support, we will positively impact the lives of children. Vision:“To provide a CASA Advocate for every abused, neglected & at-risk child in El Dorado County.”

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OUR MISSION& VISION

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TAYLOR LANDAKERManager of Events

Community Outreach

JOHN ADAMSExecutive Director

VAL DAVIDSONOffice Manager

Trainer

MICHELLE VIENSenior Program

Coordinator

JULIA JOHNSENProgram Coordinator

INTRODUCING... THE CASA TEAM

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BARBARA DEGRAAFProgram Coordinator

ALEXIS FOLEYProgram Coordinator

INTRODUCING... THE CASA TEAM

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

Anne EkertSierra Vista Bank

VICE-PRESIDENT

Ruta BriltsBlue Shield

TREASURER

Sharon MorrisonTruNorth, LLC

SECRETARY

Maryeth LoriauxLoriaux Insurance Agency

PAST PRESIDENT

Tom MakrisPillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

MEMBER AT LARGE

Mary McKee, EdD.School Superintendent, Retired

BOARD MEMBER

Aziz AlsagoffVision Service Plan

BOARD MEMBER

Kristin ConnerVision Service Plan

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BOARD MEMBER

Janine D’AgostiniBusiness Owner

BOARD MEMBER

Haley DewhurstWells Fargo

BOARD MEMBER

Bill FuserLilliput Founder

BOARD MEMBER

Debi HarlowEl Dorado Disposal

BOARD MEMBER

Scott HellerPlacerville Police

BOARD MEMBER

Jose C. HenriquezLAFCO

BOARD MEMBER

Terra NairMarshall Medical

BOARD MEMBER

Mike NealBusiness Owner

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Letter From Our Executive Director

As another fiscal year closes, we have much to be grateful for. Over 150 dedi-cated CASA volun-teers provided quality advocacy for over 300 children throughout El Dorado County.

Together we are

making a significant difference for these

children and their families. Children who have a CASA Advocate will receive more services, do better in school, spend significantly less time in foster care and have better long term outcomes. Signifi-cantly, this also means that about 20 less children will reenter the child welfare system this year. This will end up saving the community over $1 Million in foster care costs and obviously means the 20 more children will have the opportunity for a brighter future, as opposed to becoming incarcerated, vic-tims of sex trafficking or institutionalized in some other way. Your gift of time or personal resources is what makes this all possible.

This past year we also reached a new goal of

having 6 volunteer advocates become Peer Coordi-nators. This model allows some of our more experi-enced volunteers to become coaches for new CASA advocates who graduate from the training program. This means that we can serve more children without adding program cost.

Despite our past success, we have never been

able to serve all the children that the court has assigned to us in a given year. We lack the sufficient volunteers and financial resources to serve all the children we are assigned by the Juvenile Judges each year. The average tenure of CASA advocates is around four years. Therefore, we are always recruit-ing and training new volunteers who are able to step up and make a significant difference in the

life of a child. We hope that some of you will be inspired to join our ranks this year by becoming a CASA advocate, helping at an event, and/or sup-porting us financially. It really does take a village to raise these kids. These are the children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by the very people we entrust in their care. Our work through your support makes sure that some of them can emerge from this experience with resilience and the conviction to become contributors to our society, rather than repeat the patterns of their parents, as so many do.

We cannot do this work without you, but with you

we can help our community become much healthier, safer and productive, one child at a time. Thank you once again for doing all that you can to empower us to serve these children at a time in their lives when they need it most.

-- John

“Together we are making a significant difference for these

children and their families. Children who have a CASA Advocate will receive more

services, do better in school, spend significantly less time

in foster care and have better long term outcomes.”

John AdamsExecutive Director - CASA El Dorado

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CASA El Dorado relies on private donations to continue our important mission to advocate for safe and permanent homes for abused and neglected children.

Foundation Donors ❖ Barton HealthCare System ❖ Conyes Foundation ❖ El Dorado Community Foundation ❖ Intel Volunteer Grant Program ❖ Marshall Foundation ❖ Money/Arenz Foundation, Inc. ❖ News 10 - Gannett Foundation ❖ Ronald McDonald House Charities ❖ Sierra Health Foundation ❖ Teichert Foundation ❖ Vail Resorts EpicPromise ❖ Wayne Grey Wilson Foundation ❖ Wells Fargo Foundation

Service Groups Donors ❖ Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe ❖ Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra ❖ Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises ❖ Optimist Club Of El Dorado Hills ❖ Placerville Fellowship & Newcomers Club ❖ Placerville Shakespeare Club ❖ Rolling Hills Christian Church ❖ Rotary Club of South Lake Tahoe ❖ Sierra Riders ❖ Sierra Squares Advance Club ❖ Soroptimist Int’l of Cameron Pk/EDHills ❖ Soroptimist Int’l of Placerville ❖ Soroptimist Int’l of So Lake Tahoe ❖ Soroptimist Int’l of Tahoe Sierra ❖ Thrivent-El Dorado Chapter ❖ Women In Networking-EDH

Business Donors ❖ Aaron Dosh Attorney at Law ❖ Abel’s Apple Acres ❖ Adept-Med ❖ Aerojet Rocketdyne ❖ Allstate ❖ Ameriprise Financial ❖ Ault Logging & Brush Removal ❖ Bank of America ❖ Barsotti Family Juice Company, Inc. ❖ Big O Tires ❖ Black Oak Animal Hospital ❖ Blue Shield of California ❖ BRMS-Benefit & Risk Mgmt Services ❖ Busy Bees Pre-School ❖ Camino Flower Shop ❖ Carbon Copy, Inc. ❖ Carter-Kelly Inc. ❖ Casey’s Grill ❖ City of Placerville ❖ Clarity AVL ❖ Cocomont ❖ Comaudit Services ❖ Combellack’s Men’s Store ❖ Construction & General Laborers ❖ D.C. Peek & Association Inc. ❖ Davis & Amaral Mortgage Consultants, Inc. ❖ Deloitte ❖ Dental Offices of Douglas Stadler ❖ Dick’s Carpet Outlet/Carpet One ❖ Dokken Engineering ❖ Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc. ❖ DST Output

We thank the following individuals, companies, foundations and organizations for caring about El Dorado County’s foster children.

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OUR DONORSWHO MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE

Business Donors, cont’d ❖ EDC Assoc. of Realtors ❖ Edgewood Companies ❖ Edward Jones ❖ El Dorado Disposal ❖ El Dorado Irrigation District ❖ El Dorado Savings Bank ❖ Enos Forensics ❖ ENTERCOM ❖ Five Star Bank ❖ Foothill Food Service ❖ Foothill Physical Therapy ❖ Forte Holdings, Inc. ❖ Georgetown Divide Public Utilities District ❖ Gilmore Services Inc. ❖ Gist Silversmiths, Inc. ❖ Gold Trail School ❖ Golden Hills Family Dental ❖ Guthrie & Ellerman ❖ Harrahs / Harveys Lake Tahoe ❖ Henning Mehrens MD INC ❖ Idle Wheels R.V. Center ❖ Jackson Elementary School ❖ Kikkoman Foods Inc. ❖ Kniesel’s Collision Center ❖ Knoblauch Insurance Services ❖ Lake Tahoe Podiatry ❖ Lee’s Feed & Western Store ❖ Lightfoot Automotive ❖ Loriaux Family Insurance Agency ❖ Madrona Vineyards ❖ Magic Smiles Dentistry ❖ Marilyn’s Salon ❖ Mechanics Bank ❖ Mercy Hospital of Folsom ❖ Owen, McGinty & Reiken, CPAs, APC ❖ Pacific Gas and Electric ❖ Paragon Products ❖ Peggy Uthoff Accounting Services ❖ Perfecto Label Company, Inc. ❖ Placer Title Company ❖ Placerville Hardware

❖ Pony Express Tax Services ❖ Primeritus ❖ Raley’s ❖ Robinson’s Pharmacy ❖ Sacramento EDM & Waterjet ❖ Sacramento Rebar ❖ School Innovations & Achievement ❖ Shingle Springs Band Miwok Indians ❖ Shingle Springs Nissan ❖ Sierra Animal Hospital ❖ Sierra Child & Family Services ❖ Sierra Vista Bank ❖ Signal Service, Inc. ❖ Simms Chiropractic ❖ Ski Air Incorporated ❖ Snowline Engineering ❖ Snowline Hospice ❖ Solis Collision Center ❖ Straight Line Roofing ❖ Suite America ❖ Synvasive Techology ❖ The Divided Sky ❖ The Greenhouse Café ❖ Thompson’s Toyota ❖ Umpqua Bank ❖ Vindler and Associates ❖ Vintage Transport Trailer Manufacturers ❖ VSP Optic Group ❖ Walmart ❖ Western Sign Company ❖ Western Trading Company ❖ Winworks Software ❖ Women’s Council of Realtors ❖ Xerox ❖ Z Group Real Estate

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Individual Donors ❖ Monica & Randall Acevedo, D.D.S. ❖ Robin & Christopher Ailman ❖ D.J. Aitchison ❖ Ron & Frances Alling ❖ Aziz Alsagoff ❖ Kent Ames ❖ James & Jeanne Amos ❖ Gary Anderson ❖ Lynnette Applebaum ❖ Dawn Armstrong ❖ Don & Ann Ashton ❖ Nanette Bailey ❖ Candy Barbour ❖ Fenn & Mary Barkley ❖ Noel & Sergio Barros ❖ Gael Barsotti ❖ Jennifer & Michael Bassett ❖ Mark & Kim Beatty ❖ Brett Behar ❖ Shelbi Bennet ❖ Debra & Eric Bergen ❖ Dr. Gregory & Jean Bergner ❖ Ralph & Sandra Bert ❖ Berto & Stella Berti ❖ Lori & Mike Blank ❖ Sharon & Charles Bormann ❖ Melissa & Ernie Bornstein ❖ Kathryn & Richard Botkin ❖ Michael Boyd ❖ Ruta Brilts ❖ Janet Brynjolffson ❖ Robert & Jayne Bunting ❖ Julie & Gary Bush ❖ Sheila & David Bush ❖ Barbara & Steven Cabrol ❖ Eileen & Craig Campbell ❖ K.J. Carlson ❖ Jim & Maureen Carter ❖ Sharon Clifton ❖ Dennis & Michelle Collingwood ❖ June Combellack

❖ Kristin Conner ❖ Mary & Mark Contois ❖ Priscilla J Cortez ❖ Correll Couch ❖ Peter & Jeanmarie Cova ❖ Dee & Gary Cutter ❖ Wendy & Kerry David ❖ Doru & Val Davidson ❖ Chris & Elaine Debeau ❖ Linda Degelman ❖ Haley & Bob Dewhurst ❖ George & Angela Diesch ❖ Judith & Tom Dillon ❖ Ron & Chrysan Dosh ❖ Jerome Draper, Jr. ❖ Jim & Betty Duke ❖ Karen Duncan ❖ Linda & Roger Dwyer ❖ Clark & Natalie Ebinger ❖ Anne & George Eckert ❖ Robin Edison ❖ Hourdad Ehsani-Nategh ❖ Sara & Ethan Eldridge ❖ Jane Engel ❖ Rick Enriquez ❖ Mimi Escaabar ❖ Laura & Rick Fergerson ❖ Stephen & Madeline Fernald ❖ Karen Fernandez ❖ Karol Ferreria ❖ Paul & Sandra Ferrero ❖ Trish Fishburn ❖ Peter Fitch ❖ Jay & Cindy Freeman ❖ Sue Fry ❖ Bill Fuser & Lois Patrick ❖ Sheila & Gary Gall ❖ Dirk & Marilyn Gillmeister ❖ Jeanette Gipson ❖ Jayle & Michael Goucher ❖ Chad & Gabriele Guest ❖ Darby Haines ❖ John & Emogene Haller

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Individual Donors, cont’d ❖ Craig Halterman ❖ Dorenda & Mark Hamarlund ❖ Sherri & Kevin Hansen ❖ Debi & Paul Harlow ❖ Peter Hart ❖ Marcia Hartman ❖ L S Helfrich ❖ George & Anne Heneger ❖ Jose C. Henriquez & Kim Demongey ❖ Nancy & Tom Herman ❖ Sherry Herman ❖ Debra & Kenneth Herr ❖ Mary Beth Herritt ❖ David & Bev Hickman ❖ Nancy & Rob Hickman ❖ Brad & Veronica Higgins ❖ Steve & Stesha Hodges ❖ Karyn & Charles Huebner ❖ Lisa Hume ❖ Bette Humenick ❖ Kathy Hurd ❖ Katherine Jackson ❖ Rosalie Johnson ❖ Lynda Jorgensen ❖ Tammy Kaitz ❖ Anthony Kalk ❖ Sara Karloff ❖ Matthew Kearns ❖ Robin Kelly ❖ Robin Klomparens & Doug Youmans ❖ John & Georgi Knight ❖ K P Koller ❖ Linda & Stan Kosciolek ❖ Selina & Ken Kostelnik ❖ Lisa & Robert Kramer ❖ Eugene Kraus ❖ Kathy & Tom Krejci ❖ Jeff Kremer ❖ Cheryl LaJeunesse ❖ Jennifer Lane ❖ Gary Lardy

❖ Lisa Larson ❖ Roger & Salena Leasure ❖ Demi & Robin Lemarquand ❖ Larry Lighty ❖ Scott & Suzanne Listar ❖ Sandy Listberger ❖ Katherine Locher ❖ Paul & Linda Lockwood ❖ S.M. Loso ❖ Aimee & Judd Lowrey ❖ Bob & Diane Luca ❖ Lillian & James Macleod ❖ Erminja Maganja ❖ Melissa Magnusson ❖ Jean & Tom Makris ❖ Christopher Makris ❖ Theresa & Cris Mapagay ❖ Tricia Marquis ❖ Robin & Jim Masten ❖ Mark & Jamie McClone ❖ Leslie & Bill McClone ❖ Dr. Mary & Joe McKee ❖ Vicki McKenna ❖ Melvin & Maria McLaury ❖ Neil McNevin ❖ Robert & Saundra McWilliams ❖ Jeff Medley ❖ Leigh Wayne Miller ❖ Terri Miller ❖ Tammy Mitchell ❖ Lori Mobley ❖ Angela & Gary Moore ❖ Stephen Morgan ❖ Sharon Morrison ❖ Vas & David Murry ❖ Marissa Muscat & Travis Feist ❖ Terra Nair ❖ Rebecca Lester ❖ Diane Nelson ❖ Jennifer Nelson ❖ Susan Nelson ❖ Vera Nicholas & Thomas Christy ❖ Ellen Nordby

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Individual Donors, cont’d ❖ Jenifer Norris ❖ Carol Novak ❖ Robert & Sue Novasel ❖ Terri Orio ❖ Chuck & Alison Orofino ❖ Kay & Monte Osborn ❖ Manuel Pagaling ❖ Kathryn Parish ❖ Jefferey Parish ❖ Darrelyn Patton ❖ Katy & Don Peek ❖ Robert & Diane Penn ❖ Noel Perkins ❖ Thomas Peters ❖ Timothy Peters ❖ Michael & Teri Peters ❖ Elizabeth & Chris Peterson ❖ Kenneth Pettinato ❖ Debra Prince ❖ David & Joanne Proft ❖ Sarah Ramsay ❖ Robert & Jessica Ranieri c/o Century 21 ❖ Shari & Tim Ranstrom ❖ Karen D Revers ❖ Christine Richardson ❖ Judge & Mrs. Patrick J. Riley, Retired ❖ Andrea Riso ❖ Colleen & Bill Roatch ❖ Chrissy & Dan Robertson ❖ Kay Robinette ❖ Robbie & Terry Robinson ❖ Elizabeth Roeser & Robert Jones ❖ Jerald Rosemblum ❖ Jane & Harold Samboy ❖ Donna & Jim Sauber ❖ Beverly Savage ❖ Wendy Schramm ❖ Bill Schultz & Mary Ann Kirk Schultz ❖ Denise & Russell Schultz ❖ Helen & John Schureman ❖ Joyce & Jim Seubert

❖ Matthew Shepherd ❖ Margaret Shetler ❖ Jefferey Short ❖ James Singleton ❖ Brian Smith ❖ Mary Sneeringer & Kevin Blower ❖ Pam & David Stoddard ❖ Debby & Kent Stone ❖ Annemiek Storm & Ed Means ❖ Richard & Terri Stratton ❖ Linda Subido ❖ Loren Theodore ❖ Jennifer Thomas ❖ Katherine Thompson ❖ Deborah Thompson ❖ Ann Tritsch ❖ Doug & Karen Tustin ❖ Felicia & Michael Ungeheuer ❖ Edward & Peggy Uthoff ❖ Mark & Michele Van Horn ❖ Don & Margaret Vanderkar ❖ Peggy & Don Vanderkar ❖ Doug Vanderkar ❖ Francisco Verdin ❖ Susan & Stephen Ward ❖ Paula Weber ❖ Karen & Gordon Wood ❖ Kathy Woolery ❖ Julie Worley ❖ Eva & Dan Wright ❖ Elizabeth & Lewis Zacharias ❖ Cindy & Ken Zack ❖ Diana & Charles Zinser

In Kind Donors ❖ A.C.T. Ticket Services ❖ Abel’s Apple Acres ❖ Ace Hardware ❖ Alpen Sierra Coffee Roasting Co. ❖ Alta Sierra Country Club ❖ Altair ❖ Ambiance ❖ Apex Energy Solutions, LLC

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In Kind Donors, cont’d ❖ Apex Strategies, Inc. ❖ Bacara Resort & Spa ❖ Barsotti Family Juice Company, Inc. ❖ Base Camp Pizza Co. ❖ Big O Tires PV ❖ Bliss Electronics ❖ Blue Sky Powered Paragliding ❖ Boa Vista Orchards ❖ Boeger Winery ❖ Boulevard Restaurant ❖ Burger Hut ❖ California Academy of Science ❖ Cambridge Cleaners ❖ Capital Dance Center ❖ Chipotle Mexican Grill ❖ Coloma Resort ❖ Country Club Dental Offices ❖ Cozmic Café ❖ Crystal Basin Cellars ❖ Cute Chips ❖ Dannenfelser Piano Service ❖ David Girard Vineyards ❖ Debbie Wong Restaurant ❖ Disneyland Resort ❖ Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc. ❖ EDC Office of Education, Superintendent ❖ Edgewood Companies ❖ El Dorado Community Foundation ❖ El Dorado High School ❖ El Dorado Musical Theatre ❖ Empire Ranch Golf Club ❖ ENTERCOM ❖ Equine Unlimited Inc. ❖ Face In A Book ❖ Fenton Herriott Vineyards ❖ Fitness Solutions ❖ Folsom Glenn Car Wash ❖ Fudge Factory Farm ❖ Gold Cal Jrs Volleyball Club ❖ Gold Key Storage ❖ Golden Hills Family Dental

❖ Grace Patriot Wines ❖ Grandpa’s Cellar ❖ Handprints Massage Therapy ❖ Harley-Davidson Of Folsom ❖ Harrahs / Harveys Lake Tahoe ❖ Heyday Café ❖ Holly’s Hill Vineyards ❖ Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe ❖ Jim Powers Gallery ❖ Jodar Vineyards & Winery ❖ Kiddlywinks Toy Store ❖ Lakeside Inn & Casino ❖ Lava Cap Winery ❖ Law Office of Freda Pechner ❖ Loriaux Family Insurance Agency ❖ Madrona Vineyards ❖ Mama Ann’s Deli and Bakery ❖ Mama’s on Washington Square ❖ Massage Envy ❖ Mini’s House of Pain ❖ MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa ❖ Morgan Creek Golf Club ❖ Morris Law Group ❖ Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe ❖ Nail By Sue Calicchia ❖ Nepheles Restaurant ❖ Northstar California ❖ Nugget Market, Inc. ❖ Omni Hotels & Resorts San Francisco ❖ Orchard Hardware Supply ❖ Oregon Shakespeare Festival ❖ Paesanos ❖ Perfecto Label Company, Inc. ❖ Perry Creek Winery ❖ PING ❖ Pro Clean Carpet & Upholstery ❖ Rancho Murieta Country Club ❖ Red Hawk Casino ❖ Reflection Salon & Spa ❖ Robinson’s Pharmacy ❖ Sacramento Kings Foundation

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In Kind Donors, cont’d ❖ Safeway - Cameron Park ❖ Seacrest Beach Resort ❖ ShipShapeUSA ❖ Shoreline of Tahoe ❖ Sienna Restaurant ❖ Sierra Athletic Club ❖ Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. ❖ Sierra Nevada House ❖ Sierra Smokehouse BBQ ❖ Sierra View Country Club ❖ South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle ❖ Starbucks ❖ Sunnyside Resort ❖ Sutter Street Steakhouse ❖ Tahoe Orthopedics & Sports Medicine ❖ Target ❖ The Argonaut ❖ The Farm Table ❖ The Independent Restaurant and Bar ❖ The Purple Place Bar & Grill ❖ The Walt Disney Family Museum ❖ The Windfall ❖ Tile Outlet ❖ Trader Joe’s ❖ Tree House ❖ Vail Resorts EpicPromise ❖ Vintage Grace Church ❖ VSP Optic Group ❖ Winterhill Olive Oil Company ❖ Wofford Acres Vineyards ❖ Woodbridge Golf & Country Club ❖ Yolo Fliers Club ❖ Don Ashton ❖ Andrew Baker ❖ Joan Beaudette ❖ Pam Bechtold ❖ Jennifer Carter-Paap ❖ Linda Chandler ❖ Susan Darling ❖ Kathy DeLacy ❖ Tina Denham

❖ Rick & Susan Deubel ❖ Ramona Diaz ❖ Christian Dolder ❖ Deanna Fenton ❖ Sam Fergason ❖ Marcia Fudge ❖ Loretta Gray ❖ Lyle Grondin ❖ Dorothy Gustin ❖ Jose Henriquez ❖ Elizabeth Kielty ❖ Jan Killgore ❖ Robin Klomparens ❖ Patricia Macy ❖ Christina Mansour ❖ Judy Morsey ❖ Suzanne Narducci ❖ Susan Nelson ❖ Lacie Nezbeth ❖ Tony Papa ❖ Katy Peek ❖ Andrea Riso ❖ April Roscoe ❖ Karen Schriefer ❖ Carole Shoquist ❖ Carolyn Silverman ❖ Elizabeth Tanis ❖ Leslie Tendick ❖ Julie Van Dooren ❖ Suzanne Woods

OUR DONORSWHO MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE

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Honorary & Memorial Gifts Nora Caplan donated in Honor of: Lisa DaneMargaret & Randy Floto donated in Honor of: Kathryn FlotoShari & Tim Ranstrom donated in Honor of: Lori HartfieldRoberta Riley donated in Honor of: Patrick J. Riley, Retired

Susan & Jerry August donated in Memory of: Joan BarsottiKathleen Beichley donated in Memory of: Joan BarsottiMarlys Hoshall donated in Memory of: John & TerryDouglas & Marian Leisz donated in Memory of: Nord WhitedCindy & Ken Zack donated in Memory of: Ronald G. PizerJane Engel donated in Memory of: Fritz EngelRobert & Jessica Ranieri donated in Memory of: Robert Ranierii IIIManuel Pagaling donated in Memory of: RomeroMary Burns donated in Memory of: Herb & Wilma HerrmanLeslie & Bill McClone donated in Memory of: Tom NiemannCyndi Romano donated in Memory of: Timothy MitchellGeorge Deubel donated in Memory of: Timothy MitchellRoberta & Patrick J. Riley donated in Memory of: William Byrne

Income

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CASA El Dorado

TOTAL REVENUE

%33Contributions

& Grants

%25Government

Contracts

%2Other

%30Fundraisers

FINANCIAL REPORT

%10In Kind

Contributions

Grants & Contr

ibut

ions

Special Events

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82 % Program Expenses

Fundraising Expenses10 %

General & Administrative Expenses8 %

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ADVOCATE SPOTLIGHTMargaret Wilcox - Advocate & Peer Coordinator

How long have you been a CASA? This is my 11th year. I trained in the spring of 2005.

Why did you choose CASA?When I retired from my career as a psychologist working with children, I thought I would be drawn to volunteer activities of a different type. It took just a year for me to realize that, while I loved being involved with these other nonprofits, my heart was really still with children. When I saw a notice about CASA and researched it a bit, it resonated. I feel very lucky to have discovered it!

How soon after training did you get your first case?My first case was assigned to me shortly after I completed training – approximately summer of 2005.

Tell me about that case.The case had an interesting beginning for me. Another new CASA and I were co-assigned to the case since there were 4 children. The next hearing was scheduled just a few days after we received the court orders, so our first introduction to family members was at the courthouse the day of the hearing. My co-CASA immediately recognized that she knew one of the family members so was recused from the case. I was given the option of continuing with the case myself or having another co-CASA appointed. I was comfortable proceeding.The children were close in age and close to each other. They were living with a grandparent who took wonderful care of them, providing a safe, healthy and loving home. I enjoyed visiting them in the home, taking them in various combinations of 2 or 3 to parks, the library, the zoo or wherever else they chose (that was reasonable!). They were not used to boundaries but quickly adapted to the expectations that I had and, at the same time, were making progress with that in the grandparent’s home.I met early on with each of the parents. It was clear that they both loved the children. The mother was unable to make progress with her case plan, including supervised visits with the children that were significantly reduced because they were not in their best interests. The father made progress and I enjoyed being present in the home when he visited with the children. He was interested in them, engaged with them and supportive of them. However, the visits became increasingly sporadic

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and unpredictable. The children were adopted by the grandparent. Several years later, leaving the theater with my husband, I heard these little voices calling out “Margaret! Margaret!” What a treat to see and receive big hugs from all of the children and their grandparent. They looked wonderful! Hooray for CASA!

Give an example of a problem you encountered and how it was resolved.I like to meet occasionally with the parents in my CASA cases, as someone who is interested in their perspective on the children and willing to listen. In this case, the mother had no phone or email access, but she did have an intermediary who would accept messages for her. She had no car so was dependent on others for transportation. Because of her history and continuing drug abuse, I felt that I needed to meet with her in a public place where we had some privacy to talk. Within the first week or two we were successful scheduling a meeting time and place. She was nearly an hour late but did arrive. She was quite open and honest about her situation, her love for her children, her struggles, and her thoughts about her children that she wanted me to know. We agreed to meet again in a month and set a time and place. I called the intermediary with a reminder, but the mother failed to show. After that I received no replies from her. This was not a resolution in terms of solving the issue. However, it heightened my own awareness that there are times when it may be best to accept the limitations of your role as a CASA and move on with the other pieces.

What can you say about the CASA program in general?I truly believe that we, as CASAs, make a difference. I often tell CASA trainees, during my interview with them, that what matters is that a child in the Dependency Court system has a CASA. It doesn’t really matter whether the CASA is me or them or someone else. It only matters that there is a CASA for the child. Each of us does make a difference!

What can you say about our local CASA staff?They are all outstanding. I am so impressed by how hard they work, how willing they are to take calls or respond to emails in spite of all else they have to do. They are truly there to support us, and I’m very grateful for that!

TRAINING TO BECOMEA CHILD ADVOCATE

Troughout the year we offer several training opportunities to become a childs’s advocate in South Lake Tahoe or Placerville.

PLACERVILLE OFFICE347 MAIN ST.PLACERVILLE, CA 95667(530) 622-9882

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE OFFICE1354 JOHNSON BLVD.SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA 96150(530) 573-3093