CASA Minnesota

At CASA MN, our mission is to serve children and youth in the child protection system by enriching their lives through advocacy, access to resources, and fostering meaningful connections.

We help recruit, recognize and retain volunteer Guardians ad Litem (GAL), to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children during court proceedings. 

The goal of the GAL is to ensure that the child’s needs and best interests are prioritized in the legal process, particularly during court hearings where decisions related to educational and medical needs, family visits, and living arrangements are made on the child’s behalf. GALs ensure that in the often overburdened system, the child’s voice and best interests are never overlooked.

Volunteer GALs come from diverse backgrounds and have diverse lived and professional experiences. This becomes a significant asset when a CASA volunteer shares a common culture with the child or has experiences that resonate with the child’s circumstances. This connection helps the volunteer advocate effectively on the child’s behalf. It is well documented that children with a volunteer GAL have fewer placements, have more services ordered on their behalf, and report significantly higher levels of hope.

We also seek to enrich the lives of children in foster care through CASA Cares grants that provide opportunities for kids to learn, connect and grow.  All kids deserve the opportunity to be a child. CASA Cares gives children in foster care more than a material gift. The grant program gives them respite from their stressful and uncertain lives – it provides moments of joy. 

While children are in foster care, CASA grants provide resources that benefit their personal growth and development that are not funded by any other government programs. Since the program began, CASA Minnesota has distributed nearly $200,000 in direct grants to children.

Whether you support our volunteers, CASA Cares grants or make an unrestricted gift - your donation will make a long-lasting difference in the lives of youth. On behalf of every child that we serve, thank you for your generosity!