CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Arthur Flores, Branch Manager for Umpqua Bank in Hermiston, presented a $5000 contribution from Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation to the Umatilla-Morrow County CASA program on Thursday, Nov. 12.
The CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program for Umatilla and Morrow Counties is operated by Umatilla Morrow Head Start (UMCHS), and the gift was accepted by Executive Director Maureen McGrath, Deputy Director Aaron Treadwell, and Volunteer Manager Jesus Rome.
The CASA program recruits, trains and supports citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Advocates offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care. For many abused children, a CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.
The funds from Umpqua will be used to recruit, coordinate and support a growing number of volunteers for the local CASA program. Currently, about 25 percent of children in the foster care system in Umatilla and Morrow counties have been assigned a CASA advocate who will be their neutral voice in court.
“More volunteers are needed to represent 100 percent of the children in foster care,” says Executive Director Maureen McGrath. She goes on to note that for a child, “being removed from your home is a very scary prospect and our CASA volunteers are a safe set of loving arms in a world that has become pretty chaotic.”
The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation was formed in 2014. Through targeted investments in organizations focused on children’s education and wellbeing, the foundation works to create economic opportunity in its service area.
UMCHS has many volunteer opportunities, from serving as advocates for children, to assisting preschool children in classrooms. Volunteers interested in the CASA program and other volunteer opportunities should contact Rome at 541-667-6170 or go to UMCHS.org.
For additional information, please call McGrath at 541-564-6878.
