September is National Kinship Care Month, a time to honor trusted adults who step in when parents cannot. Kinship can mean grandparents or aunts, but it can also be neighbors, teachers, or in Amy’s* case, a nurse who already cared for her during hospital stays.

Molly is an Occupational Therapist. That experience carried into Molly’s second case, where she was appointed to Amy in April 2023. Amy, now four years old, received a heart transplant as an infant and has faced a lifetime of complex medical needs. When she entered foster care, one of her nurses and her husband became licensed specifically so they could provide Amy with a stable home. Just last week, they officially adopted her.

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With six years of advocacy experience under her belt, Judith Walker-Felix is celebrating two special milestones this August. The first is the graduation of the biological mother in her fourth CASA case from SAFETI (Substance Abusing Families Engaging in Treatment and Intervention) Court on August 6, a major step toward family reunification. Just one day earlier, on August 5, Judith will be celebrating her birthday.

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Jen and Kelly both hold leadership roles in the CASA Young Professionals, work full-time, and also serve as CASA volunteers. Having two amazing women like Jen and Kelly devoted to our cause is remarkable—but even more unbelievable is that they currently have CASA cases with children in the same foster home… for the second time! 

Kelly is the Chair of the CASA Young Professionals and has been with the group several years; Jen joined more recently and was glad to find that both she and Kelly are CASA volunteers. They both had cases involving sibling groups living in different homes than one another, and were discussing how to navigate the complexities of the school systems involved. They realized the similarities in their cases weren’t just a coincidence; they were talking not only about the same school, but also children placed in the same foster home!  

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Lucy and Alex are both students at Saint Louis University, graduating in May. They’re also Co-CASA Volunteers for a sibling group of four. Lucy and Alex were assigned to a case shortly after turning twenty-one in February 2024. Being a Co-CASA team has made the case manageable for Alex and Lucy. They split tasks, fill in gaps in one another’s schedules, and lean on each other to talk through the case, prepare reports, and make recommendations.

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Motherhood, like advocacy, evolves over time. When children are young, it means wiping tears, offering comfort, and building a foundation of trust. As they grow, so does a mother’s role—becoming a sounding board, a mentor, and a pillar of strength standing behind them as they build their lives. CASA Volunteer Patti Dowd’s journey reflects this evolution beautifully. A mother of four, Patti has raised a family grounded in empathy and strength. Her children—Rebecca, a Case Advocacy Supervisor for CASA; Rachel, a Guardian ad Litem; Margaret, a Special Education Teacher; and her son, Daniel, a software engineer—have each built a life rooted in the values Patti instilled in them.

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“But then I recalled that these children needed me and my presence made a difference. If your presence makes a difference in the lives of children, then you can persevere and do your best to help them.”

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After 30 years as a trial lawyer handling only civil cases and seven months as a Circuit Court judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit, Judge Warner was transferred to the Family/Juvenile Court of St. Louis County. For two years, 2013 and 2014, as a family court judge, he heard the painful stories of neglected and abused children in foster care and gained a deep respect for the professionals involved in each case.

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On behalf of all of us at CASA, thank you and congratulations to Pat on 20 years of exceptional service!

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We are so excited to be celebrating two of our CASA volunteers who recently celebrated 15 years of service! Congratulations to Stephanie Sachs & Carol MacDonald! We are so grateful for your dedicated service to children and youth in care in the St. Louis community.

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“I had been in touch with his counselor and had talked to him monthly by phone or via Zoom, but I wanted to meet in-person when I could,” said Penny, who took on the case of the boy in December. “We talked about the steps he was taking and about his options once he finishes his program, he was easy to engage with, even virtually, and he has been receptive to getting the help he needs. We talked about his desire to be someplace safe, which all children should have and which is why we advocate for them.”

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