Generations of Care: A Mother’s Day Story of Advocacy in Action
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.
The Dowd family connection to CASA began when Rebecca started her position as Case Advocacy Supervisor at CASA of St. Louis in October of 2022. With a background in volunteer coordination, she was drawn to the mission. “I knew of CASA, but I didn’t have any child welfare experience,” she shared. “I hit the ground running and started learning about child welfare from day one at CASA.” Around the same time, her mother had recently retired and was searching for a meaningful way to give back. “Rebecca was starting her job and telling me about it, it sounded perfect. It has a schedule, you feel useful, and you can use your mind. The child welfare aspect was a bonus.” Patti explained. After going through training alongside Rebecca, Patti was sworn in as a CASA Volunteer in March of 2023.
Rachel’s path into child welfare began with her first job out of law school at the public defender's office. She stated, “I was drawn to working with the youth; I specialized in representing children in juvenile court on the delinquency side and also young adults, seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds.” After some time in private practice and a year at home with her children, Rachel was drawn back into public service. When a Guardian ad Litem position opened in St. Louis County, she applied, encouraged by conversations with Rebecca. “We talked a lot about what the job would involve, and she gave me inside scoop about St. Louis County,” Rachel explained.
Over two years, Patti has been on two cases. Her first was a four-year-old boy who was successfully reunified with his mother after a year. “It opens your eyes sometimes,” Patti said, “You can read the news and hear about what people struggle with on a daily basis, but when you see it firsthand, you think, ‘wow, I don’t know if I’d be strong enough to get through every single day like you do.” Patti is currently advocating for two small children whose team is looking at placement with the children’s grandmother, a woman Patti describes as loving and committed. “I’ve been very fortunate to see good people come out okay,” she said.
As mothers, professionals, and advocates, Patti, Rebecca, and Rachel bring empathy to their work. Their personal experiences raising children have shaped the way they view families involved in the foster care system—not with judgment, but with understanding. They know firsthand how complex and challenging parenting can be, even under the best of circumstances. This perspective allows them to approach each case with genuine compassion for both the children and the parents navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives. “I worked in child welfare for a year before I had my son,” Rebecca shared, “I’ve always been child-centric, but motherhood has changed my perspective on the system and how hard it is on the parents.
Rebecca and Rachel can lean on their mother for support, and Patti learns from her daughters. They frequently converse about non-identifying facts of their cases and hear perspectives from all sides of the family court. “We’re a team. We talk about our cases and learn from each other’s perspectives.” Patti shared proudly.
Just as motherhood has evolved for the Dowd women, so has Mother’s Day. “When the kids were little, it was breakfast in bed,” Patti recalls. “Then it became an annual lunch, and now, the celebration has grown. We celebrated because I was the only mom, now we’re all moms! Rebecca, Margaret, and Rachel deserve recognition, too. The tradition has evolved.”
To all mothers and mother figures —thank you. As your roles shift and grow over time, so does your impact. Your steady presence continues to shape families and communities in powerful ways. Happy Mother’s Day!