By Chelsea Meyer
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Going through the juvenile court system can be a scary thing, especially if you’re a child who doesn’t have either of your parents by your side.
There are about 16,000 children in the foster care system in Illinois, according to Children’s Home & Aid.
While a child is going through their court case, judges may change, lawyers may come in and out, caseworkers may change, but Court Appointed Special Advocates are consistently by their side.
“There’s a lot of evidence that shows that the kids that have CASAs, their cases get closed out a lot faster,” said John Papiernik, executive director of Winnebago County CASA. “They achieve permanency in their cases faster, and if you look down the line – five, 10 years down the line – they have a lot better outcomes than the kids that don’t have CASAs.”
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There are 31 CASA programs throughout Illinois that cover 55 of the state’s 102 counties, according to Illinois CASA. They do the hands-on work of recruiting and finding volunteers to speak for the best interests of an abused, neglected or dependent child.
With that, Winnebago County CASA is hosting its first CASA Royale gala and casino entertainment fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront Hotel.
Proceeds from this event will be dedicated to advocating for children in the Winnebago County juvenile court system.
Winnebago County CASA has approximately 100 volunteers who are advocating for about 300 kids in the court system.
“We have about 1,100 kids that don’t have a CASA,” Papiernik said. “We need to grow the program and help the kids in our community more, and this money will go toward our recruiting efforts and marketing efforts.”
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Know before you go | CASA Royale charity fundraising gala & casino night
Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront Hotel, 416 S. Main St., Rockford
When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27
Admission: Standard tickets are $100; limited VIP tickets are $150
More information: For more information visit winnebagocountycasa.org/CASARoyale
This article is by Chelsea Meyer. Email her at chelsea@b103fm.com.