Local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) organizations are collecting donations for children in the CASA system as they head back to school.
CASA of San Luis Obispo County and CASA of Santa Barbara County are taking donations online and at their offices, whether that’s monetary donations or gift cards from local clothing stores like Target, Kohls or Ross Dress for Less, among others. With the donations, the Court Appointed Special Advocates will then take the kids shopping for new clothing.
Marina Bernheimer, executive director of CASA of SLO County, says back-to-school shopping is different for children in the foster system.
“Back-to-school shopping is a really exciting thing for most kids and it's something we take for granted,” said Bernheimer. “But for foster youth, it's something they really don't usually have the opportunity to do. It really ties in with self-esteem and a sense of normalcy for a child who's going through a really traumatic chapter in their lives to be able to go shopping with their CASA, which is their volunteer who provides support and advocacy.”
Donations will be accepted until the end of September.
