CASA of Val Verde Receives $20,000 Grant, Expands Volunteer Outreach

CASA of Val Verde announced that it received a $20,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation on November 20 to support an initiative titled Outreach and Volunteer Recruitment and Training. The funding will underwrite outreach events for current foster and kinship families and help the nonprofit recruit, train, and equip new Volunteer Advocates who will serve children in the local foster care system.

The grant arrives as CASA of Val Verde seeks to strengthen its capacity to provide trained court appointed advocates for children involved in dependency cases. CASA Volunteers work alongside judges, caseworkers, and families to ensure a child’s voice is represented in court, and the new funding is intended to increase awareness and build a stronger network of advocates across the county.

The award comes from the Texas Bar Foundation, which since its inception in 1965 has awarded more than $30 million in grants to law related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably funded bar foundation. The foundation’s support for local CASA programs underscores a broader public interest in ensuring legal and social supports for children in foster care.

Ana Moreno, Executive Director of CASA of Val Verde, framed the investment in human terms. “Having more trained Volunteer Advocates means more children and families within the child welfare system receive the support and attention they deserve,” she said. The statement highlights the programmatic aim to match more volunteers to cases and to enhance the quality of advocacy provided to vulnerable children.

For Val Verde County residents the grant has several immediate and practical implications. Expanded outreach can help kinship caregivers access resources and information while recruitment and training efforts can relieve pressure on caseworkers and judges by broadening the base of community volunteers available to monitor cases and advocate for timely services. In rural and border counties like Val Verde, where professional resources are often stretched, bolstering volunteer capacity can influence how quickly courts and agencies can respond to individual child welfare needs.

The award also raises institutional questions about sustainability and the balance between public funding and philanthropic support for essential child welfare services. Relying on grant funding to expand advocacy capacity can produce short term gains, while longer term stability may require coordination with county agencies, courts, and regional service providers.

CASA of Val Verde plans to use the funds for community outreach events and the next rounds of volunteer recruitment and training. Residents interested in learning more or in volunteering can contact Ana Moreno at CASA of Val Verde by calling 830 421 1691 for details and next steps.