Gaye Riggs: Helping foster children can make you a hero

There is something predictable about the seasonal change this time of year. The air is cooler, days shorter and many look forward to carving Halloween pumpkins. Many of us have memories of trick-or-treating in our neighborhoods, going door to door for candy and expecting the special treats.

When children must be taken from their homes and placed in foster care, they no longer have the familiar anticipation many children enjoy. Yes, they are safer (gratefully), but much of what has been familiar in their lives is no longer present. Children benefiting from foster care are innocent bystanders to the adult drama around them.

This why I decided to give my time, financial and emotional support as a board member for CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA advocates are heroes, working one-on-one with children and teens in foster care. They advocate on their behalf in courtrooms, help secure resources and provide information that helps the court make better-decisions for these children.

Each of us has the power to improve the lives of children in the foster care system. We can restore the trust and hope of children and help them create new memories. We can do this one child at a time. Please, please become a CASA volunteer.

This story was originally published October 13, 2017 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Gaye Riggs: Helping foster children can make you a hero."