by Jerika L.H
Yolo County is often lauded as being one of the greatest places to raise a family. With its pastoral views and small town charm, many families feel that it is the only place they could truly call home. Yet, it is also home nearly 400 foster children in need. In order to spread awareness about this often invisible population, Yolo County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) has launched a new campaign called “Hearts of Yolo” which emphasizes the life stories and experiences of both children and adults active in the foster community. The stories have already spawned emotions in readers.
“One of the most memorable moments of my life was when I took my CASA child to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We were driving toward the coast talking about this and that. She had never been to the beach before. As we headed west up and over a hill she looked out and pointed, “What is that!?!” She was pointing at the ocean. She had never seen it before and was amazed that it seemed to go on forever and that it looked like it did in the movies. She couldn’t believe it was actually real. The rest of the day was just as magical. She said it was ‘Finding Nemo’ in real life. With our own children we take seeing the ocean, going to Disneyland, camping, and birthday parties for granted. For many foster children, these are things they only hear about or see on television.” -Lori Ross, Active CASA #heartsofyolo
The “Hearts of Yolo” campaign is not just an awareness promotion, but also a way to celebrate the many people who have made a difference in the lives of children. It is a platform to laud the children themselves. “From our CASAs, to our Board of Directors, to event sponsors, to donors and friends, we could not provide the kind of help we provide to foster children if they hadn’t reached into their hearts and decided they could help,” states Tracy Fauver, Executive Director of Yolo County CASA, “This initiative is a way to illustrate the work and generosity—the heart—that goes into what we do.”
As we have witnessed in the last decade, social media has become the one of the most powerful tools in circulating information which would not have otherwise been covered by mainstream media. While many people may feel guilt for not being able to adopt, there are so many ways a person can help without adopting. “Maybe someone is considering being a foster parent but can’t fit it into their lives so they become a CASA,” states Fauver, “Or maybe someone doesn’t have time to commit to being a CASA but wants to donate to the organization or sponsor an event to ensure that we have proper funding for trainings and recruitment. When people read these stories, light bulbs go off. They realize through the stories of others that they have the capacity to help and start to think about where they best fit into our collective efforts.”
This raises an important point about many misconceptions people have about the extent to which they can help. Anyone can be an ally to Yolo County CASA. Vanessa Errecarte, a spokeswoman for CASA, emphasizes that volunteering, donating, advocating, or simply sharing the “Hearts of Yolo” posts on the Yolo County CASA Facebook page does a world of good. In fact, a little can go a long way when it comes to getting the word out about the needs of foster youth. Every share opens up new possibilities for connecting children with loving homes, future CASA volunteers and better possibilities for developing services.
While it is very easy to help, it is important to note the hard work and dedication that foster families and volunteers do in changing the lives of foster children. Local owner of Kangakare Daycare Jackie MacNear is a child advocate who is among a rare breed of community members willing to step in and take action when a child is in need. While adoption does take dedication, MacNear assures that it is completely worth it. “The best thing about adopting is being able to offer my adopted kids the next best thing: a safe, stable loving home where they and their birth families are cherished and celebrated. We celebrate us being a family as well, but we are not trying to replace their invaluable loving birth family. And the silver lining is that all of my children learn the true meaning of unconditional love and community. I’m very lucky that both of my adopted children are very much a part of their birth families as well. I do anything I can to foster and support that bond.”
The Davis Vanguard’s very own David Greenwald is another local community member who has prioritized foster youth and outreach. Along with wife Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald, David has been a proud adoptive parent since 2009.
While these families illustrate the enriching experience that adoption brings for both parents and children, Yolo County CASA notes that no amount of effort goes unappreciated. Even a small donation can contribute to the experience of a child feeling like they have items of their own – something that can be difficult to achieve in a group home setting. The most important thing, however, is that children know that people do care. Vanessa Errecarte explains,“I’d say one of the overarching goals of this campaign is to express how important it is to have a consistent person in a child’s life during a trying time. It has the potential to make a world of difference.”
There are currently 94 CASAs in Yolo County, but advocates hope to secure one CASA for every foster child by 2020. The “Heart of Yolo” initiative has already set in place some great returns, as it has secured a matching gift up to their $16,000 goal for the Big Day of Giving on May 3. CASA has also partnered with Lamppost Pizza for a fundraising opportunity. If you eat at Lamppost Pizza between 4-10 p.m. on Saturday February 27, part of the profits from that night will be donated to Yolo County CASA. Go, have some pizza, then pat yourself on the back – you just helped a foster child.
Cool story – thanks for writing