Meet Meghan Kosek, the June Advocate Spotlight for 2022. Meghan is not only a volunteer advocate but she is also an Advocate Coordinator at CASA of Luzerne County. She exemplifies everything a volunteer advocate should be.
Meghan began working at CASA of Luzerne County in May 2021 following her internship with the organization when she was a junior at King’s College. Meghan began advocating in December 2021 following her completion of the advocate training program.
She decided to advocate herself when she saw the great things that the volunteer advocates do and the impact they have on children . Meghan also now has an understanding of some of the difficulties of being a volunteer advocate and this makes her a more empathetic supervisor.
Meghan advocates for a sibling group. One child lives local with family and the older sibling lives in a residential treatment facility a few hours away. Meghan’s most memorable experience as an advocate is when she went to visit this youth and she was able to take her out for lunch. The child opened up to Meghan and when she was walking back to her room at the facility she turned around and gave Meghan a hug and thanked her for coming to see her. Sometimes it is the smallest gesture an advocate can do that means the most.
Through her advocacy, Meghan wrote a court report and testified to recommendations that were in the best interest of both of the children. Those recommendations were accepted by the court and services were put into place. This was a very impactful moment in Meghan’s advocacy.
Meghan would like future advocates to know that the work you do as an advocate does not go unnoticed. You get more out of your advocacy than you put in. Things don't happen overnight, patience is key. Staff and other advocates are here to support you throughout the case.
She would also like to express that the impact a CASA has on a child is truly amazing, the consistency and support in the child's life is what makes all the difference , and knowing you are giving that child a voice. There are over 500 children in care in Luzerne County alone, so if you are looking for a sign to become an advocate, this is it! Making sure our children in the community are safe, loved and feel supported is the most important thing about advocacy.
We are grateful to Meghan for her commitment to her advocacy and her position as an Advocate Coordinator. If you’d like to make a difference in the life of a child in the way Meghan has, we invite you to join us for an info session to learn more about advocacy and what it means to be a CASA.
Meghan is a graduate of King’s College with a BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice (Go Monarchs!). She lives in Plains with her 3 cats, Milo, Sidney and Grey and her German Shepherd, Remy (the unofficial CASA mascot). When Meghan is not advocating she enjoys Cross Fit and yoga.
