OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
We have learned alongside our Community Partners as they have faced challenges, overcome barriers, and achieved extraordinary successes. Find out more about each project and the outcomes below.
YEAR
2023
GRANT CATEGORY
Health & Well-Being
GRANT AMOUNT
$15,800
Organization:
CASA of Travis County
Title:
Bridge to Permanency Program
Description:
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Travis County was established in 1985 to advocate for and protect children who have experienced abuse or neglect. CASA of Travis County achieves this goal by training community volunteers to make independent and informed recommendations to a court about a child’s best interests. The role of a CASA volunteer is to get to know the child and gather information from individuals who connect with the child, including the child’s family, teachers, doctors, therapists, and others. CASA of Travis County supports more than 600 volunteers who advocate for more than 1,000 children a year. CASA states that its first goal is to keep children with their families, when safe to do so.
The grant is unrestricted and awarded in support of the mission and programs of CASA of Travis County.
Grant Status:
CASA used Impact Austin funding to expand their Bridge to Permanency Program, which provides direct financial assistance for very low-income families serving as permanent/long-term placements for children in the Travis County child welfare system. The program, supported by a full-time Resource Specialist, strengthens household stability and removes barriers to maintaining a safe and secure home for children who have experienced abuse and/or neglect. During the grant term, CASA's Bridge to Permanency Program helped 183 families with 300 requests.