Oak Ridge Today

CASA seeks volunteer advocates in Anderson County

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By CASA of the Tennessee Heartland

Kids Count Data 2015 has just been released. This data revealed that there were 160 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in Anderson County alone. As a result, 277 Anderson County children were in DCS custody last year.

Because of the growing problem of abuse and neglect in our community, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland is seeking volunteer advocates for its Anderson County program. CASA of the Tennessee Heartland recruits, trains, and empowers volunteers to advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in juvenile court.

Our Court Appointed Special Advocates gather information, recommend services, and advocate for each child to be placed in a safe and permanent home as quickly as possible. A CASA volunteer may be the only consistent, adult presence in a child’s life. Because a CASA focuses on one family at a time, a child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to find a safe, permanent home, more likely to be adopted, and less likely to be bounced from home to home. [Read more…]

Harrison named CASA executive director

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Edward “Eddie” Harrison

Edward “Eddie” Harrison

Edward “Eddie” Harrison has been named executive director of CASA of the Tennessee Heartland, a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains, and empowers volunteers to advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in Anderson, Scott, and Blount counties.

Harrison has dedicated his life to the empowerment and mentorship of young men and women living in disadvantaged communities and homes, and has been an advocate for East Tennessee youth for 12 years, a press release said.

“Eddie brings deep experience working as an advocate for disadvantaged kids and nonprofit management to CASA,” Board President John Willis said.

Prior to his work with CASA, Harrison served as the house manager for Columbus Home and earlier as the executive director of Montgomery Village Ministry. [Read more…]

Guest column: A simple gift

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Kaylain Tolbert and Naomi Asher

Clinton High School student Kaylain Tolbert, right, and Naomi Asher of CASA of the Tennessee Heartland are pictured above. (Submitted photo)

By Naomi Asher

A simple envelope can hold a heartwarming gift.

At the beginning of October, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland got one of those simple envelopes. It contained a check and a note from a teacher at Clinton High School.

One of their students, Kaylain Tolbert, had raised money for CASA as a candidate for Homecoming Court. Kaylain chose to give her donation to CASA.

While many of the other students chose organizations that others had chosen in years past, Kaylain chose CASA. She babysits for a CASA volunteer’s children, and this volunteer encouraged her to look into the cause. [Read more…]

CASA receives national certification for work quality

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CASA of the Tennessee Heartland—which serves Anderson, Blount, and Scott counties—has been awarded certification by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. This certification recognizes that CASA of the Tennessee Heartland is in compliance with National CASA’s high standards for quality child advocacy.

“The National CASA quality assurance process is very rigorous and reflects our commitment to ensure every child we serve has the most powerful volunteer advocate working on their behalf,” said Michael Piraino, chief executive officer of the National CASA Association. “This certification says CASA of the Tennessee Heartland has demonstrated to us a strong capacity to provide excellent services to the abused and neglected children within their community.”

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland was started in Anderson County in 1988, has been serving Scott County for 13 years, and is entering the second year of service in Blount County. [Read more…]

CASA fundraiser features barbecue, bluegrass

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Ridge City Ramblers

Members of the Ridge City Ramblers are, from left, Gary Coleman, Mary Tuskan, Scott Linn, Abbie Hoerner, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Steve Reddick. (Submitted photo)

A March 2 fundraiser that features music, a barbecue dinner, and auctions will support an organization that helps abused or neglected children in Anderson, Blount and Scott counties who are under court protection.

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland’s 10th Annual Barbeque and Bluegrass Bash is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Junior Achievement – Hollingsworth Center in Clinton.

The musicians scheduled to perform are hammer dulcimer player Allen McBride and bluegrass and Americana group the Ridge City Ramblers, featuring Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, a press release said.

[Read more…]