Impact

We have included some facts and impact stories about the impact our program makes below.

If any of this information inspires you, please consider becoming a volunteer, donating,
or partnering with us. We greatly appreciate your support, encouragement, and time.
If you would like any additional information, please feel free to contact us.

Facts

National CASA: A child with a CASA/GAL volunteer is:

  • Cases assigned to a CASA/GAL volunteer tend to involve the most serious cases of maltreatment, in which the children were more at risk.
  • Judges report the impact of CASA/GAL volunteers is most pronounced in “promoting long-term wellbeing” (92.2%), followed by “appropriate services to child and family” (83%) and “psychological wellbeing” (79.9%).
  • Less likely to reenter the child welfare system. The proportion of reentries is consistently reduced by half.
  • More likely to achieve permanency.
  • More likely to have better outcomes: children tended to perform better academically and behaviorally in school as measured by whether or not they passed all of their courses, whether or not they were expelled, and their conduct performance.
  • More likely to experience higher levels of hope.
  • You can view this information and more at https://nationalcasagal.org/our-impact/research-and-effectiveness/

Our Local Program

  • Approximately 100 new child abuse and neglect cases are filed in our county court each year.
  • Our volunteers serve approximately 32-37% of cases each year. Our current goal is to serve 40% this year.
  • We would need over 100 volunteers to meet National CASA’s goal to serve 100% of children who need a CASA.
  • We serve an average of 75 children over the course of a year with an average of 32 new cases assigned each year.
  • Program staff and volunteers dedicate hundreds of hours serving children in our area each year.

Nebraska CASA

  • 908 Nebraskans volunteered as advocates for children in 2020.
  • 2,108 Nebraska children had a CASA volunteer in 2020.
  • Although CASA serves more children each year, there are still 1,500 children without an advocate.
  • The average annual CASA program cost per child served is $1,013.
  • 20 local CASA programs are currently serving 52 counties in Nebraska.  
  • CASA programs have served Nebraska children for 34 years!
  • You can view this information and more at https://www.nebraskacasa.org/who_we_are/mission.html
  • You can also view the impact study completed by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Public Affairs Research and Grace Abbott School of Social Work (UNO Infographic).

Impact Stories

Our Local Program

Due to the smaller size of our program and service area, we have opted not to share detailed stories about our youth with the general public to protect their privacy. However, we do have a few testimonies we would like to include from our “Dignity to Go” project where we provided suitcases, diaper bags, and backpacks with hygiene items to DHHS to be available for children who are removed from their home or experience a change in placement.

“I can’t tell you how happy the two teenage moms on my caseload loved the Amazon suitcases and those adorable diaper bags! (NAME) started crying and told me she has never had something that nice before!”

“I wanted to thank you for [being] willing to give moms like me baby stuff and a suitcase for free, the things I got really made me stress less especially for having to be financially stable for a baby and being a teen mom.”

“Thank you for the stuff given to me for my children and self. The bag helps a lot carrying stuff for 2! Very much appreciated! And all that you continue to do to help us.”

National CASA