Annette knew that when she retired she wanted an active retirement—one where she could care for others, similar to her years of service in public health. After Annette attended a brief Child Advocates of Silicon Valley informational session online, she knew becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer to kids was the path for her, and has since supported seven children and families.
Annette is committed to doing what is best for the children she advocates for, and invests time and energy toward forming special bonds with them and their families—building trust and providing support to not just the child, but the guardians as well.
Annette matched with sweet Mateo when he was just one-year-old. He was living with extended family members who were incredibly welcoming to Annette, and allowed her into their home with ease. Annette started taking Mateo and his older cousin, who was five-years-old at the time, to the park, allowing them both the time and space to be playful, seen and nurtured. Soon after, she became acquainted with Mateo’s mom, Celine, via virtual family check-in calls. Annette quickly realized that as an advocate to Mateo, it was her job—and ultimate goal as a CASA—to reunite families, and not keep them apart.
“I really feel that with these little kids I need to get to know their families just as much as I get to know the child, because I’m going to tell a judge, along with a social worker, that I think that they’re safe with their families.”
Celine regained custody of Mateo thanks in part to Annette’s thoughtful and accurate reports to the court. Annette has proven to be a continuous friend and mentor to Celine while also being a staunch advocate for Mateo, even supporting Celine in potty training through Child Advocates resourced Target gift cards for pull-ups and a training toilet. “We became a trio,” she said. To this day, she provides friendship, guidance and support where needed and even attended Mateo’s fourth birthday party, gift in hand.
Annette says that being a CASA has opened her eyes to the realities of the foster and court system, and has made her work as a CASA all the more important. Her advice? Do the informational session and learn more. You’ll have the support, you’ll have the resources and you’ll have a community ready to help you SHOW UP, STAND UP and LIFT UP your child.
We are grateful every day that we get to SHOW UP for our CASAs, just as they SHOW UP for our youth.
To SHOW UP the way we do, we need you.
*This story is a recently closed Dependency Court Case. An alias has been used to
preserve the identity of the child and mother.