Provide life-changing advocacy for 624 foster youth and children in LA County with Focusing Philanthropy and CASA of Los Angeles

As always, Focusing Philanthropy covers all overhead costs. 100% of every donation will go to the 2019 Child Welfare Advocacy Campaign.

THE NEED

There are over 30,000 children under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Dependency Court, making it the largest system in the nation supporting children removed from their homes due to allegations of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. These youth are almost all children of color (91%), and all are low income by HUD definition. Each one is assigned a county social worker, who serves as many as 30 other children at the same time, and an attorney, who often has a caseload of over 200 children. The average foster youth in LA County will have six different home placements during their time in care, and often as many—or more—changes in social workers and attorneys.

Given the instability they face, is not surprising that children in foster care experience the following distressing consequences: 85% of foster youth live with serious mental health challenges; 37% will not finish high school; 50% of girls in foster care become pregnant by age 17; and 27% of the nation’s homeless population has spent time in foster care.

THE GOAL

Focusing Philanthropy and CASA of Los Angeles are launching a campaign to raise $450,000 to provide life-changing advocacy for 625 local foster children in 2019.

CASA of Los Angeles recruits, trains, and supports qualified citizen volunteers who are assigned to a foster child’s case by a Dependency Court judge. These Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) help restore safety and stability in the lives of foster youth by advocating for their best interests in court, school, and the community. CASAs are usually responsible for only one or two cases at a time and almost always until the case is closed. Children with a CASA do better in school, are more likely to be adopted, and are half as likely to re-enter foster care.

In order to serve more foster youth, CASA of Los Angeles needs to offer more volunteers trainings, at more convenient times and locations throughout the county, while maintaining a growing staff to provide such opportunities and recruit new volunteers. Our 2019 campaign will help CASA LA open a second co-location in South Los Angeles and its first-ever dedicated Volunteer Training Center adjacent to downtown. Funds will also support its current Volunteer Services team and increase staffing to achieve the overall campaign goal of training 520 new CASAs capable of serving an additional 624 foster children.

THE GIVING MATCH

From January 15 to June 30, 2019, every $2 raised by CASA of Los Angeles will be matched with $1 raised by Focusing Philanthropy, until the campaign goal of $450,000 is reached.

To qualify for the match, donations must be directed to Focusing Philanthropy and a minimum of $1,000. Donations are fully tax deductible and 100% of funds contributed will go to the “Child Welfare Advocacy” campaign. All Focusing Philanthropy costs are covered by its founders.