#GivingTuesday: Warm hearts and warm hands

It's cold out. Unseasonably so far.

Right now there are more than 500 children in foster care in Luzerne County because of abuse and neglect. CASA of Luzerne County has advocates speaking up for 62 of those kids. Not only have they experienced abuse and neglect, suffered trauma, and been taken away from the life they know, the majority of them are not prepared for our long, cold, Pennsylvania winters.

YOU CAN CHANGE THAT!

We invite you to join us for #GivingTuesday on Tuesday, December 3 (or any day from Thanksgiving to December 4 at 4 p.m.) to help CASA raise money to keep our kids warm this winter. Our goal is to give each of our advocates the ability to purchase coats, boots, hats, and gloves for the children for whom they advocate. Your kindness can show these most vulnerable children in our community that there are people who care about them.

AllOne Charities is accepting donations on CASA's behalf. Please visit their website and select CASA of Luzerne County to make your donation: https://allonefoundations.org/all-one-give-day/

Last year, thanks to the generosity of community, AllOne Charities, and the Times Leader, we raised enough money to keep 27 children warm. As the number of kids in foster care grows, so does the need.

AllOne's website is open from Thanksgiving Day to Wednesday, December 4 at 4 p.m.

We are so grateful to them, the Times Leader, and you for showing our children that they are loved and cared for.

CASA awarded Millennium Circle Foundation grant

On Tuesday of this week, CASA of Luzerne County’s executive director, John Aciukewicz, spoke to The Luzerne Foundation and its Millennium Circle members about the need for CASA in our community. He shared the heartbreaking story of the horrific abuse endured by a young local child and how the dedication of her volunteer advocate is changing her story.

“For the first time, there is an adult in her life who can look her in the eyes and say, ‘this should never have happened to you, this was not your fault, and I am going to do my best so that this does not happen to you again,’” John said.

The generosity of The Luzerne Foundation and The Millennium Circle means that CASA can continue its mission to provide a Court Appointed Special Advocate to every abused and neglected child in foster care in Luzerne County.

CASA is a 501(c)3 non-profit child advocacy organization. We do not receive any County, State, or Federal tax dollars to support our program. We rely upon generous donors like the Luzerne Foundation and its Millenium Circle members as we seek to provide more children in Luzerne County with a court appointed special advocate and ensure their right to a safe and permanent as soon as possible.

Below is the announcement from The Luzerne Foundation and the video of John’s presentation.

Thank you to all who support our cause and share our belief that a healthy community starts with children who are safe, protected, and loved.