Hey all! As some of you know, but probably not many, I've been volunteering as a court advocate with CASA of Cook County.for the past year. What we do is advocate with the courts for children in the foster care system. I've always wanted to run the Chicago Marathon, and I am honored to have a chance to run with CASA of Cook County and raise money for this amazing cause. My ultimate goal is $2300, which is how much it costs to provide one child with a CASA advocate for a year. Please consider donating to an organization that provides a voice in court for children in your backyard and helps them find a safe, permanent home.

Team CASA members use the incredible experience of training for and running one of the world’s largest marathons to raise awareness and funds for the most vulnerable individuals in Chicago–children in the Cook County foster care system who have experienced abuse and/or neglect. Each runner has a goal of raising $2,300, or the cost of providing CASA services for one child for one year. Team CASA members directly impact the life of a child who will receive individual advocacy in court by a trained CASA volunteer. The advocacy that they receive has been shown to shorten the time they are in foster care and ensure they receive needed medical, educational, and social services while in care. The ultimate goal of CASA is to help each child find a safe, permanent home. The trajectory of these children’s lives are changed because they have a committed adult CASA volunteer who is with them throughout the most traumatic time in their lives. Thank you for being on our team and helping a child find a safe, permanent home.