Shar Herrera: Foster kids need an advocate; they need you

As we gather with family and friends to celebrate the holiday season, an estimated 570 children in Merced County will spend the season in foster care. These abused and neglected children have been taken into care for their own protection, and the court is their guardian. The holiday season is an especially difficult time for foster children, as they have likely been separated from siblings and extended family and are living in a foster home or other placement.

Citizens in our community can and are making the holidays brighter for many foster youth. A volunteer CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocate – works one-on-one with a foster child or sibling group to ensure their needs are met. They provide information to juvenile court judges that help the judges make better-informed decisions on the child’s behalf. We at CASA of Merced County recruit, train, and supervise CASAs and we are grateful to them for their caring and compassion, especially during the holiday season.

Please consider making a difference by becoming a CASA volunteer in 2017. Having a consistent adult presence is a priceless gift one can give to a foster child. For information, call 209 722-2272.

This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Shar Herrera: Foster kids need an advocate; they need you."